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Housing for Health

About

NYC Health + Hospitals recognizes that the chronic health issues of homeless individuals cannot be treated without stable housing.

Our Housing for Health initiative was created to move patients experiencing homelessness into permanent housing to improve their health and wellbeing.

Read Jesus’s journey from homelessness to an apartment in Queens

Annually, nearly 6% of patients, or approximately 50,000 New Yorkers, are unstably housed and experiencing homelessness.

NYC Health + Hospitals has developed several initiatives to improve health care access for these vulnerable patients, while increasing pathways to temporary and permanent housing.

Housing is fundamental to good health. Patients with chronic conditions cannot manage their condition without a safe and stable place to live. Housing for Health is our investment in these patients’ health outside of the hospital walls: to a safe, stable place to live so they can focus on their health.
Mitch Katz, MD
President & CEO, NYC Health + Hospitals

Our Programs

Housing Location and Placement Services 

We offer patients experiencing homelessness housing location and placement services.  These services provide patients with one-on-one support throughout their housing journey to a permanent home.  Patients receive support in finding and applying for permanent housing that best meets their needs. 

Medical Respite

We provide temporary housing for our medically vulnerable patients experiencing homelessness who are cleared to discharge from an acute care facility, but still require access to care not available in shelter. Respite services allow patients to rest, recover, and heal in a safe environment with access to medical services and intensive housing case management.

On-Site Social Services

We partner with community-based organizations to provide on-site social services in permanent housing so that patients can stabilize and thrive in their new home.

Affordable and Supportive Housing

We dedicate our land for the development of supportive and affordable housing to better serve our patients and the communities we care for.

Strategic Collaboration 

We work in close collaboration with City and State housing and homelessness agencies to serve our most vulnerable patients.

Partners

The NYC Health + Hospitals Housing for Health Initiative is supported by strategic partnerships with community-based organizations, affordable housing developers, and city agencies including:

NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

NYC Housing Development Corporation

NYC Department of Social Services

Press Releases

NYC Health + Hospitals Announces More Than 1,100 Patients Served by Medical Respite, Which Offers Short-Term Housing and Access to Medical Care (Feb 20, 2024)

Housing for Health Initiative Marks Milestone with 600 Patients Placed in Housing (May 18, 2023)

As Part of Housing for Health Initiative, NYC Health + Hospitals, NYC HPD, and Comunilife Break Ground on New $41.5m Building with 93 Units of Affordable and Supportive Housing (Apr 27, 2023)

Mayor Adams Expands Efforts to Connect Patients Experiencing Homelessness to Stable, Affordable Housing, Delivers on Promise in Housing Blueprint Released Earlier This Year (Nov 2, 2022)

NYC Health + Hospitals, Department of Housing Preservation & Development Announce New Housing for Formerly Incarcerated People Needing Ongoing Specialty Care (Aug 19, 2022)

Press Coverage

News 12: NYC Health + Hospitals helps homeless patients with medical respite program

Gothamist: Released from the hospital with nowhere to go? NY has a budding alternative.

Becker’s: How NYC Health + Hospitals is building houses for the homeless, improving health outcomes and saving money

Affordable Housing Finance: NYC Hospital System to Double Down on Affordable Housing

Politico: Housing Location and Placement Services

Queens Chronicle: City to turn former hospitals into homes

NBC 4 New York: NYC Unveils New Housing Plan for Homeless People

Additional Media

The Remedy Podcast: Episode 6 – Caring for Homeless Patients

YouTube: Groundbreaking of Supportive Housing in Brooklyn

Contact Us

For program inquiries, please contact us at: RxHousing@nychhc.org