If you need assistance with a reasonable accommodation request while in shelter or are looking for more information about your rights, please call our Crisis Intervention Hotline 1-888-358-2384, Monday through Friday 9am-5pm for assistance.
Supportive Housing includes a wide range of housing options with different levels of support. There are a wide range of supportive housing programs for individuals living with special needs, including programs for homeless New Yorkers with mental health conditions, substance abuse issues (past or present), individuals living with HIV/AIDS, and young adults aging out of foster care. Supportive housing includes many models of housing such as shared apartment-style buildings, scattered site supported housing, community residences, and other forms of congregate housing. The most common type of supportive housing is SRO (single room occupancy) units.
Supportive housing can be a very good affordable housing option, but trying to understand all the different types of supportive housing and categories for eligibility can feel confusing and overwhelming at first (visit this page for more information). There are three different agreements made over the past 30 years that established the various eligibility criteria. These important agreements were called NY/NY because they were made between the City of New York and New York State. In 2015-16, the City and State each announced separate supportive housing commitments. The City’s program to create 15,000 supportive units over 15 years is called NYC 15/15. The State’s plan to create 20,000 supportive units statewide over 15 years is called Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative, or ESSHI.
A list of supportive housing organizations is available through the Supportive Housing Network of New York. However, most supportive housing applications must be submitted to the Human Resources Administration for approval before the application can be sent to housing providers.
The links below provide a more complete description regarding eligibility, application, and placement for supportive housing.
