The Community Housing with Supports (CHS) program helps individuals with mental health issues find safe, affordable, and decent housing in the community of their choice. This service is aimed at individuals who have a history of difficulty finding or keeping housing.
The goal of the CHS program is to provide necessary supports to choose, obtain, and maintain housing. This could involve hands-on assistance with things like negotiating with landlords, arranging rent payments, finding furniture, and skill teaching in the areas of budgeting, household maintenance, transportation, errands, nutrition, or interpersonal skills. Staff use a collaborative, goal-oriented approach that involves equal participation and a focus on personal recovery. As safe housing is acheived, we shift the focus to connecting with natural supports and engaging in the community through school, employment, volunteering, or recreation.
Participants in the Community Housing with Supports program may also have access an additional rental subsidy through the Portable Housing Benefit (PHB). Eligibility for the PHB includes:
- individuals must be enrolled on Employment & Income Assistance as a person with a mental health disability
- individuals must have an unstable or unaffordable housing situation that is interfering with their progress in recovery and positive participation in community
- individuals must remain engaged in CHS services while receiving the benefit
To apply for services, please arrange for an appointment with our Housing Coordinator by contacting us.
The CHS program also provides support to tenants living in transitional housing at Fisher Apartments & House of Hope.