HHS and HUD have announced a new Housing and Services Resource center to improve access to affordable, accessible housing and the critical services that make community living possible.

HHS’s Administration on Community Living is leading the effort for HHS. Other HHS partners include the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE).

“Many people with disabilities, older adults, and people experiencing homelessness need help obtaining housing that is both affordable and accessible. Many also need access to community-based supportive services – such as behavioral health services, personal care assistance, tenancy supports, accessible transportation, and home-delivered meals – in order to live successfully and stably in the community. Without housing and services that meets their needs, they are often left with no choice but to live in facilities, like nursing homes and homeless shelters, or on the streets,” HUD announcement of the Housing and Services Resource Center says.

The Housing and Services Resources Center’s website includes tools to support cross-sector partnerships between the housing sector and homelessness service networks, disability and aging networks, and health, tribal health, and behavioral health systems. The tools include resources to build partnerships (e.g., link to a state-by-state guide on home modification programs), information on federal resources (e.g., information on accessibility requirements for buildings), and examples of emerging partnerships (e.g., programs funded by SAMHSA’s Community Mental Health Services Block Grant).

The Housing and Services Resource Center also aims to facilitate state and local partnerships between housing and service systems and assist communities in leveraging new housing and service resources available through the American Rescue Plan and, when it passes, through the Build Back Better Act. The Build Back Better Act includes $15 million to HUD to provide technical assistance to support State-level efforts to integrate housing assistance and voluntary supportive services for residents of housing receiving such assistance. The bill also includes $150 billion for Medicaid Home and Community Based Services

Read more about the Housing and Services Resources Center on its new website.