Chronic Homelessness 101

Among those who are homeless in Northwest Arkansas, roughly a third are chronically homeless. This term refers to people who have experienced homelessness for at least a year, or repeatedly, and who struggle with a disabling condition of some kind, such as a mental illness, substance use disorder, or physical disability.

The vast majority of people with chronic patterns of homelessness do not sleep in shelters but instead camp in the woods or sleep in parks or in abandoned buildings. People in these circumstances often struggle to manage in a conventional “congregate shelter” environment. Furthermore, housing and health service providers often struggle to earn trust with chronically homeless people or maintain regular contact with them due to the volatility that comes from living outdoors.

New Beginnings seeks to meet this need by welcoming people to “come as they are” without preconditions to entry, offering accommodations with more privacy and security, and providing a more robust support team and a staff member onsite 24/7. This model allows chronically homeless people to find a measure of safety and stability while they connect with needed healthcare and support services, and ultimately, permanent housing.

Fortunately, there is a proven solution to end chronic homelessness called Permanent Supportive Housing. This model combines affordable housing with case management and supportive services. Studies show that chronically homeless people who move into supportive housing have a 75%-90% rate of success and have increased perceptions of autonomy and self-control in their lives.

New Beginnings advocates for our city, regional, and national leaders to invest in supportive housing as the solution to chronic homelessness. Expanding supportive housing opportunities allows people to move out quickly into homes where they can thrive and contribute in a community where everyone belongs.

(With thanks to the National Alliance to End Homelessness for these definitions)