A new toolkit is now available to help cities and counties take a proactive approach to preventing homelessness. Developed by the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) at the University of Notre Dame, Results for America, and Destination: Home, it provides a data-driven framework to keep families housed and avoid the disruptions of homelessness.
The toolkit offers a step-by-step guide for setting up and running an effective homelessness prevention system. Based on a LEO study in Santa Clara County, California, it gives local leaders a structured approach that can be tailored to their communities.
“Our partnership with Destination: Home didn’t end when our research in Santa Clara was completed,” the researchers say. “This toolkit puts evidence into action, helping communities nationwide use a proven approach to prevent homelessness.”
Targeted help
The California study found that targeted financial assistance—such as help with rent or utility bills—significantly reduced the risk of homelessness. Families who received support through Santa Clara County’s Homelessness Prevention System were 81% less likely to become homeless within six months and 73% less likely within a year.
The toolkit outlines six key steps to creating a prevention system: assessing community needs, forming a coalition, designing the program, securing funding, managing operations, and measuring success.
“Preventing homelessness keeps families in their homes and saves taxpayers money, and Santa Clara County has the evidence to prove it,” the researchers say. “Results for America is proud to work with LEO and Destination: Home to provide this resource to help more cities and counties keep their residents housed.”
Prevention is best
Many homelessness initiatives focus on sheltering those already without housing. But prevention—such as financial aid for at-risk households—reduces long-term costs and offers more stable solutions. LEO’s research suggests that every $1 spent on financial assistance yields $2.47 in benefits, making it a cost-effective approach.
Beyond showing that prevention works better than reactive shelter-based responses, the toolkit also offers guidance on directing funds to those most at risk.
The toolkit represents a shared effort to turn research into real-world solutions. LEO and Destination: Home will collaborate with new communities to implement it, adapt it to local needs, and study its effectiveness in different settings.
Destination: Home, a public-private partnership working to end homelessness in Silicon Valley, has played a key role in applying these strategies and gathering data on their impact.
The homelessness prevention toolkit is available for download through the Economic Mobility Catalog by Results for America, a nonprofit that helps policymakers use data to improve decision-making. Community leaders, policymakers, and nonprofits are encouraged to explore the resource and apply its insights to drive lasting change.
