Braiding funding from a variety of public and private sources is a strategy to expand access to service coordination and other community services in subsidized housing. By lacing together different funding sources, multiple organizations can pursue a joint or common goal to benefit a shared priority population while maintaining the specific program identity and restrictions each individual stream requires. This approach can maximize existing resources across multiple sectors. Also, coordinated funding can create efficiencies of scale and spark innovation, such as filling critical gaps across different populations, locales, or service types.
To support disability, aging, health, and housing organizations, this page includes:
- An overview of potential sources of funding for service coordination
- Case studies of braiding funding across sectors to support service coordination in subsidized housing and other services provided on campus
- Links to other technical assistance resources for braiding funding
- Select funding sources for housing and service coordination
-
Funding for housing comes from several different vehicles. Some of the most common are U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly, Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons With Disabilities, and other HUD programs that public housing authorities manage: Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance, and other vouchers. Also, the main federal tax incentive program, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, is primarily administered by state housing finance agencies. State and local governments may also have housing programs with funding,
The table below outlines how different types of funding for housing are operationalized. Understanding these differences is critical for effective braiding and budgeting. For this section's multi-sector audience, this table uses "individual" instead of program-specific terms such as "tenants."
Considerations for Different Funding Stream Types
Type of Funding Definition Considerations Property-based funding Funding is tied to the building to serve people living there Housing operators are able to build service coordination costs into their operating budget. Individual-based funding Funding is tied to the individual (e.g., Housing Choice vouchers) Funding for an individual’s housing needs is not an entitlement like some services (i.e., Medicare). These vouchers offer individuals more choice and control in where they want to live but are also often limited in supply.