Health Through Housing
Health through Housing
Housing Instability is a Health Crisis
37 million U.S. households are cost-burdened, and housing instability doubles the likelihood of poor health. The burden falls hardest on older adults, people with disabilities, and families navigating complex health and social needs. The supply gap keeps growing.
Senior housing works at two ends of the spectrum. At the top: continuing care retirement communities for those with means. At the bottom: government-subsidized housing for those with the least. In between sits a vast, underserved population: middle-income older adults who earn too much to qualify for subsidized housing but can’t afford private-pay senior living.
WEBINAR EVENT
Unlocking Land, Building Health:
A New Model for Affordable Housing
September 8 | 3 p.m. ET
Our Health Through Housing strategy leverages pre-development capital to convert underused church property into affordable housing with integrated services. Hear from two member organizations putting this into practice alongside field experts on why this model matters for investment strategies.
Catalytic Capital for Investment-ready
Housing with Services—at a National Scale
Stable, affordable housing paired with supportive services is one of the most effective—and most underfunded—interventions available to communities working to improve health, strengthen families and expand opportunity across generations. For the people served by Lutheran Services in America’s network of nearly 300 health and human service organizations, housing instability is not a background condition. It is a significant barrier for attaining better health and a meaningful sense of dignity and belonging.
When people are stably housed, they maintain employment, access preventive care, sustain relationships and age with independence. Lutheran Services in America’s Health through Housing initiative is a direct response to that reality that mobilizes the resources, relationships and financing tools of the Lutheran ecosystem to expand service-enriched affordable housing where it is needed most.
OUR GOAL
Our Work in Action
What’s already possible—and what Lutheran Services in America’s Health Through Housing initiative is designed to take to scale.
View case study | Learn more
Inspiritus: In Nashville’s Salemtown neighborhood, Inspiritus partnered with Nelson Community Partners to develop 80 studio and one-bedroom apartments for older adults and people with disabilities earning below 60% of area median income.
View case study
St. John’s United: A congregation with an unused office annex and underused land entered a partnership with our member in Billings, Montana.
PARTNER WITH US
There are two ways to invest in Health Through Housing:
Invest in the LSA Flexible Loan Fund: We are raising $25 million in program-related investments to deploy as predevelopment loans across the network over the next three years. This capital will go toward service-enriched affordable housing for the people and families who need it most in communities. Every program-related investment catalyzes a chain of capital in construction, tax credit, and permanent financing.
Invest in our Health Through Housing Strategy: With your partnership, Lutheran Services in America will build capacity, partnership, and national coordination that strengthen service-enriched affordable housing, increase access to community resources, and improve outcomes for people and families. We are currently inviting partners to support this work, which will also enable the Flexible Loan Fund to perform to its fullest potential.
“Despite progress, barriers to coordination and collaboration among the housing, social service and healthcare sectors remain. This has resulted in a patchwork of programs that often only partially meet the needs of low- and moderate-income older adults. Greater collaboration is needed to serve goals such as creating an adequate supply of affordable housing for older adults.”
Molinsky, J., Berlinger, N., & Hu, B. (2022). (rep.)
CURRENT INITIATIVES
Health Through Housing Cohort
This cohort makes service-enriched affordable housing projects—and the nonprofits developing them—investment-ready. By pairing an early-stage loan fund with targeted technical assistance, we move member organizations and their church partners from concept to construction.
Housing Leadership Circle
The Housing Leadership Circle (HLC) is a community of partners united in the vision of increasing access to stable, safe, and affordable housing for all. Leading corporations and industry stakeholders can join the HLC to engage with Lutheran Services in America and to advance affordable housing priorities and innovative solutions for services and supports in communities nationwide.
To learn more about how you can join the HLC and help increase the availability of affordable housing, please contact Sarah Haight.
Housing Solutions Collaborative
The Housing Solutions Collaborative reduces housing insecurity conditions in communities, ensuring residents are healthy and connected to the supportive services that promote individual and community health.
photo: California Lutheran Homes
PARTICIPATING MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
LEARN MORE
Sarah Haight
Vice President of Program Planning and Growth
shaight@lutheranservices.org