The NHP Foundation Statement
THE DATA IS CLEAR. When an individual or family is housing insecure, government costs rise as services become stretched, and hospitals incur more frequent patient visits. These “super users” are defined as the 5% of patients using 75% of health services. The data also show conclusively that stable housing is a social determinant of improved health and quality of life. In fact, study after study has shown an over 50% reduction in emergency room visits and inpatient stays, a year after individuals are provided safe, affordable housing. Reliable housing is a prescription for chronic health problems. Currently, there is a shortage of seven million affordable homes in the US. On any given night more than 550,000 Americans experience homelessness. Of those, nearly 85,000 have untreated or undiagnosed health conditions. While at the same time, the leading cause of bankruptcy and credit card debt in this nation is the cost of medical care. Clearly, Americans understand the relationship housing and health has on them physically and financially. Now it’s time for those in housing, healthcare, financial and social services and policy to make the same realization. We must eliminate silos and strengthen our ties to improve more lives through better use of existing housing resources. But, the industry can’t manage this daunting task solely by way of traditional partnerships and funding mechanisms. We need new cooperative efforts with organizations that share the weight and social responsibility of providing appropriate housing for the most at-risk and vulnerable population. For this to occur we need to take a wider perspective, identifying all the sectors impacted by a lack of affordable housing, and collectively empower future investments and hard-working solutions. NHPF will always be a leading voice in our country’s drive to house economically challenged Americans. With help from everyone here tonight and those we will reach out to, we will continue to steer constructive dialogue, bring together like-minded thinkers and deliver on our commitment to the people and communities we serve.
Where You Live Matters
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