Over the past decade, the number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness increased nearly 60 percent, with close to 275,000 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness on a single night last year. 

In response to the rise, in 2017, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development introduced the Joint Transitional Housing/Rapid Re-Housing (TH/RRH) model, which combines the two approaches into a single 24-month program. It aims to provide interim housing, rental assistance, and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness. But in the past eight years, little research has analyzed little research has analyzed the program model, including service providers’ and participants’ experiences. 

Our new report, funded by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, helps close the gap. We sought to understand the role of the Joint TH/RRH program in addressing unsheltered homelessness across communities, as well as the model’s challenges and strengths. We conducted a mixed-methods study involving an online survey of Joint TH/RRH providers, focus groups with program participants at three Joint TH/RRH programs funded by the 2022 Special Notice of Funding Opportunity to Address Unsheltered Homelessness, and individual interviews with service providers across seven Joint TH/RRH programs. 

Here are three key takeaways for communities seeking to reduce unsheltered homelessness.

1. Joint TH/RRH programs promote housing stability by providing short-term stabilization placements, time-limited rental assistance, and continued wraparound services. Across programs, staff emphasized that success in the program looks different for everyone, but the goal is to equip participants with the tools needed to maintain their housing stability after the program ends. Participants receive intensive case management throughout the program to work through barriers and access benefits and community resources.
2. Joint TH/RRH programs are one way to address unsheltered homelessness in communities, but they are not one-size-fits-all solutions. Respondents noted that the Joint TH/RRH program plays an important role in a community’s homelessness response system by offering immediate relief from unsheltered homelessness and a pathway to permanent housing. By using a low-barrier model and offering supportive services, the program has served people who might not otherwise have accessed shelter or sought out services. Though this intervention is an important tool for communities, respondents felt the program may not be suitable for everyone, especially people who have difficulty affording market-rate housing after the program ends.
3. Joint TH/RRH programs effectively move people out of unsheltered situations quickly, support quick transitions to permanent housing in the community, and leverage community resources to support a wide range of program-user needs. Program users expressed gratitude for the program and the support they received in their transition out of homelessness. By centering client voice and choice, Joint TH/RRH programs worked with program users to overcome barriers and achieve their personal goals. Program staff leveraged community resources, like their Continuum of Care, local nonprofits, and landlord relationships to offer clients a wide range of support. 

As communities consider options for addressing rising unsheltered homelessness, they should look to evidence-based strategies that address the needs and preferences of people experiencing homelessness. This research finds that Joint TH/RRH programs are one tool communities can use to safely house and stabilize people experiencing unsheltered homelessness—with targeted recommendations to continue to improve their design and overall impact.