Master Leasing for Support Unhoused Households

The New Haven Department of Community Resilience, Office of Housing and Homeless Services (OHHS) requests proposals from qualified organizations to enter master lease agreement(s) with one or various homeowners of rental housing units. The use of funding is limited to projects that will benefit individuals and families transitioning from homelessness and have a housing choice voucher or rapid rehousing funds. This project is not expected to fund permanent supportive housing projects.

The rising housing costs and the shortage of affordable housing units have become a leading housing issue in this country as households struggle to maintain a roof over their heads. Many cities and municipalities are using master leasing and shared housing for household exiting homelessness as options for prospective renters. These strategies allow many households with barriers access to the traditional rental market. Master leasing has the potential to drastically reduce street-based homelessness in a short period of time. These strategies capitalize on the existing stock of available apartment units – while addressing the barriers to housing that many households experiencing homelessness face. According to the United States Department of Housing Urban Development, people experiencing homelessness and low-income people are often discriminated against for not having reliable income, for having a housing voucher, or for having previous evictions on their records. Allowing an organization or homeless service agency to master lease units can eliminate discrimination barriers and significantly increase access to affordable housing households exiting homelessness.