Rapid Re-housing (RRH)
Rapid Re-housing (RRH) is an evidence-based approach to end homelessness as quickly as possible for families and individuals. It centers on a school of thought called “Housing First,” the idea that people are much more likely to find success when they are no longer in a stressful crisis situation; rather than wait for people who have become homeless to be “housing ready,” shelters help them into housing first, and then connect them with any additional services they might need. This intervention has low barriers to entry, high placement rates, and low rates of return to shelter.
Rapid re-housing acts as a trampoline, using targeted financial assistance and short-term services to quickly return individuals and families who have slipped into homelessness back into housing and stability. For shelters, using rapid re-housing to “exit” families and individuals into stable housing situations frees up shelter beds, reduces shelter overcrowding, and frees staff time to provide more intensive services for those with greater needs.
How can someone access Rapid Re-housing in Connecticut?
In order to be eligible for RRH in the state of Connecticut, the individual must be literally homeless and be screened by United Way’s 2-1-1 (Infoline). 2-1-1 will refer the caller to the Coordinated Access Network (CAN) site in their immediate interview. The caller will receive an appointment time which they must attend to be screened.
If the individual(s) are unable to be diverted to alternate housing options at the appointment, the person/family will be added to the shelter waitlist. Clients who have been homeless for more than 14 days are eligible for a vulnerability screening (VI-SPDAT) to determine if Rapid Rehousing would be a good fit for them. This screening is separate from their initial CAN appointment and can be performed at Homeless Shelters or by Outreach Workers across the state. The VI-SPDAT score will determine where on the By Name List (BNL) the client will fall. Clients on the BNL will be matched with programs according to score upon program availability.
What is ACT's role in RRH?
There are various programs across the state of Connecticut that provide Rapid Rehousing Services. Once a client is connected to one of these programs they will work with a Case Manager or Housing Specialist to identify an apartment that is suitable for their needs. The Case Manager will assist the client in completing the required set of documentation. Once these documents are collected they’re submitted to the ACT Rapid Rehousing team for further processing. ACT’s staff will perform a quality management check to ensure that all of the required documents are present and correctly filled out. If the application meets HUD standards for RRH, ACT will process payment on behalf of the client to the property owner/landlord.
Submit a Request
For more information on how to properly submit a request please review the following materials: