Housing First

Housing First benefits the whole community

Posted on February 6, 2023September 14, 2023 by Claire Tuohy-Morgan

A metal jump ring holds two brass keys on a white background.

Housing First is a cornerstone of DESC philosophy because our experience, backed by research, shows it is most helpful and most cost-effective for people experiencing homelessness along with substance use disorder, mental illness, and other disabling conditions. Housing First doesn’t mean “housing only.” It means, “come inside, feel comfort, privacy, and support so you have the foundation you need to pursue your goals and reconnect to the life of the community.”

Housing First and the Criminal Justice System

Posted on March 1, 2019September 14, 2023 by Megan Mayes

The recent report studying the behaviors of a sample of people with repeated criminal offenses in Seattle highlighted a problem we see at DESC frequently – for some, the relationship between the criminal justice system and the streets and emergency shelters is a revolving door. Continue reading “Housing First and the Criminal Justice System”

Housing First eliminates homelessness and reduces psychiatric hospitalizations

Posted on April 6, 2016September 14, 2023 by Megan Mayes

Researchers from Depaul University and King County examined the effects of a DESC single-site Housing First program for people with serious psychiatric problems. Some tenants came from long-term street homelessness while others had less street homelessness due to lengthy psychiatric hospitalizaitons. Tenants showed high housing retention (90%) and a significant (44%) reductions in days hospitalized, in stark contrast to a comparison group who received “usual care” in the community.

Housing First as an effective model for community stabilization among vulnerable individuals with chronic and non-chronic homelessness histories – Journal of Community Psychology (Volume 44 | Issue 3, April, 2016)

Single-site Housing First case study

Posted on May 7, 2015September 14, 2023 by Megan Mayes

This article in Housing, Care and Support describes the key features and evidence base of the “single-site” Housing First model in use at DESC, using our 1811 Eastlake program as a case study. See:

Single-site housing first for chronically homeless people – Housing, Care and Support (Volume 18 | Issue 2, 2015)

Housing First reduces use of Emergency Medical Services

Posted on October 6, 2014September 14, 2023 by Megan Mayes

The peer-reviewed journal Prehospital Emergency Care includes a paper examining the use of EMS services by DESC supportive housing tenants before and after being housed. In the study University of Washington researchers found an average reduction of 54% in the number of contacts with EMS in the two years after obtaining housing. See:

Housing First is Associated with Reduced Use of Emergency Medical Services – Prehospital Emergency Care (Volume 18 | No.4, October-December 2014)