Supportive housing effective, cost efficient

On any given night in Toledo, men and women sleep in shelters, on couches, in cars, or in places never meant for human habitation. In our downtown corridors, along the riverfront, and in neighborhoods across Lucas County, the reality of housing instability is visible and urgent. A shelter can offer safety for a night. But housing with supportive services offers something far more powerful: a home.

Recently, Local Initiatives Support Corp. Toledo closed on predevelopment financing for Mission Point, a four-story, 65-unit permanent supportive housing development that, once the final financing is in place, will be developed by Lucas Housing Services Corp., Cherry Street Mission, and Lucas Metropolitan Housing. Mission Point will sit adjacent to the Life Revitalization Center — a place already known in our community for providing meals, job training, and pathways to stability with wraparound services. For decades, Cherry Street Mission has been a cornerstone of Toledo’s response to homelessness. Mission Point will build on that work.

The development will provide 65 one-bedroom apartments for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Residents will hold leases, and they will have something many have gone without for years: stability.

Housing with supportive services is not complicated, though it is often misunderstood. It combines affordable housing with on-site services. Case managers help residents access a variety of services, including mental health care, addiction recovery resources, employment assistance, and benefits enrollment. The services are voluntary and low-barrier. The housing is permanent.

That combination works.

Research consistently shows that supportive housing is one of the most effective and cost-efficient strategies for reducing chronic homelessness. Since the United States began prioritizing permanent housing solutions, homelessness has declined nearly 10 percent nationwide, according to the Corporation for Supportive Housing. Federal rental assistance programs for veterans have helped reduce veteran homelessness by roughly 40 percent. The reason is simple. Stability changes outcomes.

When someone no longer has to worry about where they will sleep, they can focus on recovery, securing and maintaining stable employment, and rebuilding relationships. Children attend school more consistently. Adults are better able to manage chronic health conditions. Communities see fewer costly emergency room visits, jail stays, and shelter stays. That matters for Toledo taxpayers and for the long-term health of our city and region. Supportive housing reduces public costs while improving human outcomes.

This is not theoretical. At LISC, we have seen housing with supportive services succeed in rural towns and major cities alike. Here in Toledo, we have long believed that thoughtful development and comprehensive policy can move our community forward. These developments improve safety. They strengthen local economies. And contrary to common fears, research shows they do not depress nearby property values. A study by New York University’s Furman Center found that properties closest to supportive housing in New York experienced steady appreciation, often outperforming comparable properties further away.

Mission Point represents a $20 million investment in Toledo. Approximately $15 million of that total is supported through Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, covering about 75 percent of development costs. Additional funding comes from the Federal Home Loan Bank, the city of Toledo, Huntington Bank, and LISC, and part of the land needed for this development is from the Lucas County commissioners. This kind of public-private partnership reflects what Toledo does well — coming together across sectors to solve complex challenges.

Lucas Metropolitan Housing will provide project-based vouchers to support operations. Cherry Street Mission will deliver wraparound services on site. Tenants will be identified through coordinated entry via our local Continuum of Care, ensuring that those most in need are prioritized.

Mission Point is not just a building. It is a statement that Toledo believes in evidence-based solutions. It is a partnership between nonprofit, housing authority, financial institutions, and local government. And most importantly, it is an opportunity for individuals to build stable, self-determined lives and could be the springboard to a next phase, be that renting or pursuing homeownership.

A shelter offers relief. A home offers a future.

As Toledo continues to invest in revitalization and neighborhood stability, housing must remain at the center of that vision. Toledo deserves solutions that create lasting stability, thriving neighborhoods, and communities of choice. Mission Point moves us closer to that goal.

Mr. Kroma is executive director of Local Initiatives Support Corp.