Our Approach to Homelessness
Committed to Housing First
Our commitment to the Housing First Model anchors our approach to homelessness. As the first and largest provider of this model in our region, we know it has allowed us to help and safely house more individuals when compared with other approaches.
What is Housing First?​
The Housing First model operates on the belief that providing a home is the best way to end homelessness. This approach differs from the popular Housing Readiness model, also known as the Treatment First model. If someone suffers from mental illness, addiction or joblessness, the Treatment First model will attempt to address these roadblocks first, before helping the individual find a permanent home.
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FACT: For Every 100 Extremely Low-Income Renters, Central Florida Only Has 13 Available and Affordable Units.
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After our residents move in and become settled, we offer them support and case management services. ​​
Pathlight HOME vs. A Homeless Shelter
Pathlight HOME follows the Housing First model — providing a place to stay without preconditions or judgement. Unlike a homeless shelter, our residents do not have to check in or out, and their new address becomes their home. At Pathlight HOME, we build long-term relationships with our residents and provide support to help them rebuild their lives.
Pathlight HOME Provides Permanent Supportive Housing
We believe that offering a home for a homeless individual provides the best solution for helping them regain stability. This begins to alleviate the problem of homelessness in Central Florida and other communities.
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A safe place to live provides stability and structure for a person who had been homeless. It allows them to address the other obstacles that may have contributed to their homelessness, such as job loss, mental illness, or addiction. Permanent supportive housing offers residents access to a case manager for long-term assistance with everything from job searches to household management.
We help our residents cultivate the life skills needed to manage their new home and we help them to get on the right path for a better future.
