Tiny homes as Interim Supportive Housing (a Take-up Study)

While congregate shelters remain the predominant form of interim housing available for single adults experiencing homelessness, several public and private service providers in California are experimenting with an interim housing model: tiny home communities. Most tiny home programs provide residents with both individualized housing and supportive services, a model dubbed Interim Supportive Housing (ISH). The model is intended to address (1) a perception among service providers that some people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are unwilling to access services through congregate shelters but would be willing to participate in individualized housing options, and (2) the tiny home community environment can create a space for wraparound services such as housing preparation, medical services, and behavioral support that are missing from many congregate shelters and rapid re-housing models. However, there is little rigorous evidence about whether this holistic model increases the probability that people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are willing to participate or whether the model is more effective in generating improvements in well-being and long-term housing stability than alternatives. To measure take-up of different interim housing models, this study proposes randomly offering individuals experiencing homelessness either a placement in a tiny home village with supportive services or standard referral to other more traditional interim housing options. In addition to take-up, the study will use survey data to better understand which dimensions of interim housing drive preferences for different options. Researchers will also explore the potential for this study to form the basis of a longer-term study to evaluate the impacts of ISH on well-being and long-term housing stability.