Programs that help families access permanent housing focus on long-term stability rather than temporary accommodation. These programs combine rental assistance, case management, and employment support to help families transition from homelessness to independent living.
Various federal, state, and non-profit programs help families transition from temporary situations to stable, long-term housing.
Major Programs That Help Families Move Into Permanent Housing
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) organizes permanent housing assistance into specific models based on family needs:
Rapid Re-Housing (RRH)
Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) is an intervention designed to help individuals and families quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. It operates under the “Housing First” approach, meaning it prioritizes securing a home before addressing other challenges, such as unemployment or substance use.
Program rules
Unlike traditional affordable housing programs, RRH is structured as a temporary bridge to self-sufficiency:
No prerequisites: Programs cannot require participants to be employed, sober, or free of a criminal record to receive housing.
Graduated assistance: Financial assistance begins with the minimum amount necessary. It increases or decreases based on monthly reviews of household income.
Leaseholder status: The participant signs the lease directly with the landlord. When the financial subsidy ends, the family remains in the apartment and pays the full rent.
How to apply
Since funds are distributed locally through federal grants, you cannot apply to a centralized national fund.
Look for the “Coordinated Entry” system: Most cities require applicants to go through a local “Coordinated Entry System” (CES). This system assesses vulnerability and assigns available RRH program slots to families.
Contact 211: Call 2-1-1 or visit the local 211 website to find the nearest in-person intake center or assessment hotline for housing crises.
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is a long-term housing intervention designed for individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness and facing complex, persistent challenges. It combines permanent, affordable housing with comprehensive, voluntary supportive services.
Eligibility Requirements
Because Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) resources require significant investment, applicants must meet specific federal criteria to qualify:
Chronically homeless: The applicant must have been homeless continuously for at least one year, or have experienced at least four separate episodes of homelessness over the past three years, totaling 12 months.
Documented disability: The head of household must have a diagnosable substance use disorder, a serious mental illness, a developmental disability, or a chronic physical illness that severely limits their ability to live independently.
Program rules
Like the Rapid Re-Housing program, PSH strictly follows the “Housing First” philosophy but has unique operational differences:
No time limits: There is no expiration date for housing or services. Participants may live in PSH indefinitely, provided they comply with standard lease terms.
Voluntary services: Tenants are encouraged to participate in case management, but they cannot lose their housing if they decline treatment or services.
Standard tenant rights: Participants hold their own leases and enjoy the same legal rights and protections as any other tenant.
How to apply
PSH placements are strictly managed; you cannot apply directly through conventional rental offices.
Coordinated Entry assessment: You must complete a vulnerability assessment (often called the VI-SPDAT) through your local Continuum of Care network. This assessment ranks applicants based on medical and situational vulnerability.
Locate an intake center: Call 211 or visit a local day center for the homeless and ask for a “Coordinated Entry assessment for permanent supportive housing.”
Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program—commonly known as Section 8—is the federal government’s primary initiative to help very low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility for a Housing Choice Voucher is determined by the Public Housing Agency (PHA) based on total annual gross income and family size.
Income limits: Generally, a family’s income cannot exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area where the family chooses to live. By law, a PHA must allocate 75% of its vouchers to applicants whose income does not exceed 30% of the area’s median income.
Citizenship status: In general, eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens and specific categories of non-citizens with eligible immigration status.
Eviction history: Families evicted from public housing or a Section 8 program due to drug-related criminal activity within the past three years may be denied participation.
Program rules
Portability: A family can use its voucher anywhere in the United States where a PHA administers a Section 8 program, subject to local rules.
Landlord cooperation: Landlords must agree to participate in the program and sign a housing assistance payments contract with the PHA.
Annual inspections and income reviews: The rental unit must pass an initial inspection and an annual inspection. Additionally, the family must report any changes in income annually to keep their program status information up to date.
How to apply
Because funds are limited, long waiting lists for this program are common, and many PHAs only open the application period for a few days every few years.
Locate PHAs in your area: You must apply directly through a local Public Housing Agency (PHA). You can search for your local office using HUD’s PHA Contact Directory.
Watch for openings: Check local PHA websites frequently. Some offices allow you to sign up for text message or email alerts to notify you when a waiting list is about to open.
Non-Profit & Regional Programs
National networks and local community organizations use these models to provide direct, localized support to families who are moving:
The Continuum of Care (CoC) Network
The Continuum of Care (CoC) is a regional or local planning body—designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)—tasked with coordinating housing and service funding for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Instead of forcing people to navigate a confusing web of independent charities, the CoC unifies local resources into a single system.
Since each CoC operates independently, you must contact the specific network covering your current location to access local housing waiting lists.
Find your regional network: Use HUD’s CoC contact map to look up official contact details, the website, and the leadership of the specific CoC operating in your area.
Request a Coordinated Entry assessment: Contact the designated lead agency listed in the HUD directory or call 211. Specifically request a “Coordinated Entry Intake Assessment” to be included in the system.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is one of the largest non-profit social service providers in the United States; it offers permanent housing assistance in addition to its well-known emergency shelters. The organization combines federal HUD funding with private donations to help families move out of homelessness.
The Salvation Army operates several specific pathways to permanent relocation based on the household’s level of vulnerability:
Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) Programs: Housing specialists actively seek out local landlords to help overcome barriers such as prior evictions or poor credit history. The program offers short- to medium-term rental subsidies (typically 6 to 12 months) and local case management.
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH): This model targets chronically homeless families or transition-age youth where the head of the household has a documented disability. It provides ongoing rental assistance alongside intensive daily support services. Tenants typically contribute 30% of their adjusted gross income toward rent.
Affordable housing complexes: In major metropolitan areas, the organization builds and manages apartment buildings specifically designated for low-income families, seniors on fixed incomes, and veterans.
To access federally funded RRH or PSH units managed by The Salvation Army, you must be referred directly by your local Continuum of Care (CoC) network. For local assistance with rent or utilities, or to inquire about vacancies in Salvation Army-owned apartment complexes, use The Salvation Army’s location search tool to call the nearest regional office.
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities is one of the nation’s largest networks offering affordable housing, emergency assistance, and permanent relocation services. They operate through independent local diocesan chapters and coordinate with regional health and social service networks to foster long-term housing stability.
Since housing resources are local and distributed via regional waiting lists, access points are organized by geographic location:
For federally funded housing (RRH/PSH): Generally, you cannot apply directly at a parish office. Applications are channeled through the local Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry System (e.g., Housing Forward in Dallas or The Way Home in Houston), which assesses vulnerability levels.
For local financial assistance or community waiting lists: Contact your regional service center directly by calling 211 or locate your nearest office via the Catholic Charities USA member directory.
United Way’s “Home for Good” Initiatives
United Way’s “Home for Good” initiative is a highly successful collective impact model implemented by regional United Way branches. Rather than operating isolated, independent charities, this framework combines private philanthropic donations, corporate funds, and public resources to create a single, coherent pathway to permanent housing.
You cannot apply for “Home for Good” through a single national entity, as resources are integrated directly into local nonprofit networks.
Use 211: Dial 2-1-1 or use the 211 resource helpline. This system is managed by United Way and will direct you to local agencies utilizing “Home for Good” funds.
Find your local chapter: Visit the main United Way directory to find the branch serving your region and check their specific housing offerings.
“Motel-to-Home” Programs
“Motel-to-Home” (M2H) programs are targeted housing interventions designed to help families break the costly cycle of living in extended-stay motels and move into permanent rental housing. This model addresses “hidden homelessness” by assisting working families who can afford market-rate monthly rent but are unable to save for a security deposit because motel costs consume their income. If you are a family stuck in a motel, or an agency trying to coordinate a relocation, access points include:
United Way collaborative initiatives: Many local chapters—including United Way of Greater Atlanta—coordinate regional funding sources for the transition from motels to housing, involving multiple partner agencies.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP): Local SVdP USA conferences manage specific “Motel 2 Home” transition programs, which rely on volunteer home visits and direct verification of the move into new housing.
Submitting local resource forms: Organizations such as Frontline Housing allow families who meet income requirements and provide motel receipts from the past 30 days to submit an intake form directly online.
How to get started
Since permanent housing programs operate locally and are often subject to jurisdictional boundaries (such as county lines), the most efficient way to access them is through local referral centers:
Call 211: Dialing 2-1-1 or checking the United Way 211 directory connects you directly with local housing specialists who have real-time information on program vacancies and intake points within the Coordinated Entry system.
Contact your local Public Housing Authority (PHA): Reach out to your city or county public housing authority to check if there are open waiting lists for Housing Choice Vouchers or public housing developments.
