PROVIDING

We believe that everyone in Madison deserves a place to call home.

PROVIDING PEACE, HOPE AND SHELTER FOR OVER 30 YEARS

For over 30 years, Housing Initiatives has ended homelessness for more than 1,000 people who live with severe mental illness by providing them with a permanent home and supportive services to help them lead a healthier life. They are single men and women. They are families. They are veterans. They are the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and children of people throughout our community – just like everyone else.

OUR IMPACT

Our approach is different, and we get results. 95% of our residents never return to homelessness.

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OUR APPROACH

We have an innovative model for transitionally mentally ill residents to permanent housing.

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OUR PARTNERS

We partner with several Madison organizations in an effort to end homelessness.

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For most, homelessness is not a “lifestyle choice.” It’s the result of challenging, often unexpected, life events that could happen to any one of us.

THE ISSUES WE FACE

In Dane County, well over 3,000 people experience homelessness every year. For some, homelessness is a once-in-lifetime experience, for others it’s a chronic battle that they cannot escape from. Loss of a job, poverty, lack of affordable housing options, severe mental illness, racial disparity, and fleeing domestic violence are the greatest reasons for homelessness in our community.

65%

of homeless people report having a mental illness

73,000

people in Dane County live in poverty (10.3% of the population)

21%

of homeless people have been homeless for at least a year or more

46.9%

of renters pay more than half of their income toward rent

35%

of the homeless in 2022 were African American, who are only 6.6% of the population


HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL ILLNESS

Housing Initiatives (HI) was founded with a singular mission to improve the lives of people burdened by both Mental Illness and Homelessness by providing them with permanent, supportive housing.  The intersection of mental illness and homelessness creates profound difficulties for the lives of people who face this challenging combination.  Sometimes mental health and addiction problems lead to homelessness and sometimes homelessness leads to mental health and addiction problems.  The recurring interactions become so complex that it is hard to say which problem led to the other.  What is strikingly clear is that there is very little chance for recovery and stability while living on the streets.  This basic insight led to the development of the Housing First model, wherein clients are given housing first – and from that foundation they receive the support to overcome addictive disorders and to stabilize mental illness. Housing First is an evidence-based approach that provides the foundation for the HI approach to supportive housing.

At HI, clients with this combination of conditions are welcomed into housing units which become – in the vast majority of cases – stable, permanent, and affordable homes for these tenants.  However, the leadership and staff at HI understand that housing by itself is not a complete solution.  Immediately after moving in, HI staff support clients in learning the strategies required to live independently.  From basic living skills, to navigating the mental health support system, what clients need most is to feel accepted and supported, and that they are worthy of that acceptance and support.  This model is fabulously successful in ways that were never envisioned when the agency started over 30 years ago; Over 95% of program participants never return to living on the streets.

 

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OUR CLIENTS BEST TELL OUR STORY

Read more about the people we’ve helped

For over 30 years, Housing Initiatives has ended homelessness for more than 800 men, women, and veterans who suffer from a mental illness by providing them with a permanent home and supportive services to help them lead a healthier life.

YOU CAN GIVE THE GIFT OF HOME

Donate today to help us provide quality housing to Madison’s most vulnerable residents.

1110 Ruskin Street  –  Madison, WI 53704
(608) 277-8330 | info@housinginitatives.org

Anyone who is homeless, concerned about becoming homeless, or looking for a place to sleep for the evening should contact the Dane County Housing Resource line at (855) 510-2323.

To visit our CLIENT WEBSITE – designed for our clients with client needs in mind – CLICK HERE or visit hii-community.org