New York/New York Housing: An Examination of Tenure

Investigators: Carole Siegel, Ph.D. and Judith Samuels, Ph.D., in collaboration with Frank Lipton, M.D., Anthony Hannigan, M.S.W., and Sherryl Baker, Ph.D.

PROJECT GOALS

The New York/New York Agreement to House Mentally Ill Individuals has resulted in the placement of over 3,500 individuals into newly developed supportive housing. This study provides an analysis of descriptive and housing tenure data collected by the New York City Human Resources Administration on 3,114 persons housed in New York/ New York housing from May 1, 1990, through August 31, 1995. In particular, the researchers studied the tenure of individuals placed in different types of supportive housing and the factors affecting that tenure. 

Factors examined included demographics, psychiatric diagnosis, chemical abuse co-morbidities, source of referral, and housing characteristics. Survival analysis was used to generate the distribution of the length of time in housing for the group as a whole and the probability of leaving housing as a function of time. Further analyses estimate the proportion of individuals who remain continuously housed over the period and, for those who leave, their survival function. Based on an examination of the predictors of remaining continuously housed and of "failing" in placement, data obtained from these studies are expected to shed light on appropriate matches between housing and individuals.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS

A comprehensive analysis found that a natural selection process resulted in significant differences in tenant profiles among varied types of housing. Females were more likely to move into moderately structured housing than into low or high structured housing types. Individuals placed in highly structured settings tended to be younger than those placed in other settings. Individuals who moved into highly structured settings were more likely to come from hospitals (53%), be diagnosed with schizophrenia (64%), and have a history or diagnosis of substance abuse (59.8%). Individuals who moved into moderately structured settings were more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia (64%) but least likely to have a substance abuse history or diagnosis (26.5%). Individuals placed into settings with lower levels of structure and demand were more likely to be referred by municipal shelters, be longer term shelter users (36.3%); to have a bipolar or other mood disorders (47%); and in the middle regarding substance abuse history or diagnosis (40.7%).

While the analysis demonstrated an impressive increase in the long-term residential stability of the entire sample, individuals who initially moved into housing with low and moderate levels of structure were more likely to remain in stable housing for up to five years. The variables that most consistently predicted residential outcome in all types of housing included age, referral source and substance abuse history. Older individuals had better residential outcomes than their younger counterparts. Individuals referred from hospitals had significantly shorter tenure in housing than did individuals referred by other sources. As expected, individuals with histories of substance abuse had significantly shorter tenure in housing than non-substance abusing individuals.

INCLUSION OF GENDER AND MINORITY SUBJECTS
 

SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS/POLICY IMPLICATIONS

The body of research examining the success of various forms of supported housing for persons with mental illness who were formerly homeless has been limited. This study will contribute to that literature and is significant because of the number of persons and variety of housing types studied.

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Papers:

Lipton, F., Samuels, J., Hannigan, A., Siegel, C. & Baker, S. Predictors of housing tenure for the population using NY/NY Housing. Submitted to Psychiatric Services.

Presentations:

Lipton, F., Samuels, J., Hannigan, A., Siegel, C, & Baker, S. Predictors of housing tenure for the population using NY/NY Housing. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Indianapolis IN, November 1996.

Samuels, J. Results of NY/NY housing study. Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland OR, September 1998.

Project completed.

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