CCUSA announces bold “Healthy Housing Initiative” to reduce homelessness

February 11, 2019

Alexandria, Va. — Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) has named five Catholic Charities agencies that will be initial participants in an ambitious Healthy Housing Initiative aimed at reducing chronic homelessness by 20 percent over five years in five US cities; decreasing hospital readmission rates for this population by at least 25 percent; and connecting 35 percent of newly housed persons with primary care and behavioral health services.

This multimillion dollar initiative is grounded in active collaboration with the arch/diocese, the Catholic Charities agency and the Catholic Health systems in the five cities. Additional partners comprising financial institutions, foundations and local and federal government are assisting in this effort. Initial sites identified are: Detroit, Michigan; Las Vegas, Nevada; Portland, Oregon; St. Louis, Missouri; and Spokane, Washington.

“Access to a safe and decent home is a moral imperative for promoting long-term family stability, health and economic opportunity,” said Sister Donna Markham OP, PhD, president and CEO of CCUSA. “Together with our partners, we know we can find the resources to ensure that chronically homeless persons and families have a home. It is wonderful that we, as a Catholic community, can come together to address such a critical national need.”