August 2025
On behalf of the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition I am writing to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to promoting community safety, personal dignity, and public accountability in addressing the urgent challenges facing individuals experiencing homelessness and those living with disabling conditions, including serious mental illness and substance use disorders. We believe that no individual or family experiencing homelessness should live in conditions that are unsafe or inhumane.
We recognize the public’s concern regarding the visible impact of homelessness and behavioral health crises in our communities. However, decades of evidence–and the lived experience of our residents and service providers–have shown us what truly works: supportive housing.
Supportive housing combines safe, affordable homes with voluntary, person-centered wraparound services. This model is not only compassionate–it is fiscally responsible. It reduces avoidable hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and involvement with the justice system, thereby saving taxpayer dollars and restoring lives. In Florida, supportive housing programs have consistently demonstrated strong performance, with an average housing stability and retention rate of **95% **across supportive housing programs. Further, two statewide demonstration projects reinforced the value of this model, showing a 30% public system cost savings and significant reductions in hospitalizations, emergency service use, and criminal justice involvement. These Florida-based results mirror national data affirming that supportive housing increases housing stability, reduces crisis service utilization, produces long-term cost efficiencies for public systems, and improves the quality of life for individuals and the community.
At the heart of our work is a simple, powerful belief: housing is the solution. Every person deserves the opportunity to live in a safe, affordable home–without preconditions. Stable housing is the foundation for recovery, improved health, and community reintegration.
That said, supportive housing is not housing without rules. We hold firmly to the principle that all residents must abide by their lease terms and strive to be positive members of their communities–without exception. Supportive housing succeeds when it combines opportunity with accountability.
We also recognize that temporary treatment interventions–including hospitalization or stabilization–may be necessary, just as they are for any other serious medical condition. But long-term solutions must reflect our shared values of autonomy, recovery, dignity, and cost-effective care–not forced institutionalization or coercive practices.
Florida has made bipartisan progress in expanding access to community-based housing and services, reducing unnecessary institutionalization, and prioritizing evidence-based approaches. As the federal government moves forward with implementation of the recent Executive Order on “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets”–and amid the threat of harmful budget cuts–we urge policymakers at all levels to support what works: supportive housing and integrated behavioral health care, not outdated, punitive approaches that undermine civil rights and waste limited public resources.
We know this model works. The June 2025 Florida Council on Homelessness Annual Report reported a 9.13% decrease in overall homelessness statewide–an outcome driven in large part by supportive housing investments and collaboration across sectors.
Now is the time for active dialogue and collaborative policymaking. The Florida Supportive Housing Coalition stands ready to share data, outcomes, and the lived experiences of those who have found stability, recovery, and purpose through supportive housing.
Together, we can advance humane, cost-effective solutions that ensure individuals remain stably housed and living with dignity.
We remain committed to working alongside government officials, service providers, advocates, and residents to ensure Florida continues to lead with compassion, evidence, and impact.
Sandra Newson
President
Florida Supportive Housing Coalition