Housing Solutions Collaborative

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HOUSING SOLUTIONS COLLABORATIVE

We find solutions in places that others see gaps, helping all communities thrive.

The Housing Solutions Collaborative aims to reduce housing insecurity conditions in communities, ensuring residents are healthy and connected to the supportive services they need to thrive.

Equitable access to stable, safe and affordable housing is crucial for all people, but particularly for older adults, people with disabilities and families with low incomes. Working across our national network, our Housing Solutions Collaborative is committed to addressing housing insecurity not just as a means to provide shelter, but also to ensure that residents are connected to the supportive services—food, social connection, transportation and mental health care—that promote individual and community health.

Our Collaborative uses peer connections and expertise to elevate innovative and creative solutions to challenges in financing, building, and managing housing solutions. And we don’t stop there – our members increase residents’ access to supportive services across communities, leading to improved health equity.

HOUSING INSECURITY BY THE NUMBERS

Our Impact

Lutheran Services in America’s Housing Solutions Collaborative is a national initiative to increase access to aﬀordable and stable housing for the one in 50 people in America served by Lutheran Services in America. With more than 20 leading nonproﬁt organizations working across 25 U.S. states and Washington D.C., the initiative addresses systemic barriers to aﬀordable housing for people who need it most, including people with disabilities, older adults and families experiencing poverty, refugee communities, and more.

Collectively, the Collaborative members steward annual revenue of over $1 billion and manage nearly $2 billion in assets, including strong portfolios in affordable housing.

Working together, the Collaborative aims to expand affordable housing for 5,000 people in some of our nation’s most vulnerable demographic and communities.

The Lutheran Services in America community are trusted providers of aﬀordable housing for vulnerable people. Coming together in this Collaborative will strengthen their collective abilities to expand aﬀordable housing, recognizing the tsunami of factors that have led to rising housing insecurity across the populations they serve.

37.1 million households, including renters and owners, were cost burdened — of these, 17.6 million households were severely cost burdened.

Housing instability may impact some populations more than others. Moving three or more times in one year, often called “multiple moves,” has been associated with negative health outcomes in children.

Due to limited funds and the large number of households in need, only 26 percent of eligible households received federal housing subsidies in 2013.  Further work is needed to explore potential strategies to reduce housing instability.

Member Results

Lutheran Family Services

Lutheran Family Services in Nebraska is planning an intensive expansion of services for youth aging out of the foster care system. Through a collaborative campus project with Angels Share, Inc., they are seeking to turn a former college campus in Blair, Nebraska, into a space serving 200 youth aging out of foster care, creating a space and environment that is supportive and builds life skills (i.e., ﬁnancial literacy, workforce and social skills) for independent living. The initial renovation of the campus will create 150 housing units for youth and additional development is proposed for 250 units open to the broader community. The long-term vision is a campus that supports the entire community, oﬀering jobs and training opportunities through supportive services like restaurants and coﬀee shops.

Inspiritus

Recognizing the housing crisis in Nashville, Tennessee, Collaborative member Inspiritus is building an innovative “Live-Thrive-Give” campus integrating aﬀordable housing and essential community services under one roof. Their vision is to build a thriving community where neighbors are economically integrated, families are stabilized, housing is secure, and health and education outcomes improve. The project, being developed in conjunction with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a local non-proﬁt housing development, is projected to open in Spring 2025. The campus will include low and aﬀordable housing for over 80 vulnerable households in the Nashville area. A supportive services hub will be integrated that includes healthy food, a community kitchen and a therapeutic art studio.

FEATURES

CASE STUDY

Addressing Housing Insecurity for Older Adults

The “Lutheran Services in Action” case study, part of a growing series of Lutheran Services in America case studies, highlights the partnership-driven approach by Lutheran Senior Services to expand access to affordable housing with services and supports for older adults. The study demonstrates the Lutheran Services in America network’s commitment to cultivating caring communities where older adults age with dignity and respect.