City of Chicago and Cook County Health Release Report Demonstrating Health and Social Benefits of Flexible Housing Pool and Need to Diversify Funding Support

COOK COUNTY, IL — The City of Chicago and Cook County Health today released a comprehensive evaluation of the Flexible Housing Pool (FHP) of Chicago and Cook County, demonstrating that supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness and complex health conditions improves health outcomes while reducing reliance on costly emergency and crisis-response systems.

The report, which examines outcomes from 2019 through 2024, provides some of the strongest local evidence to date that housing is both a social and health intervention.

The report also highlights the need for multi-sector investment to ensure long-term sustainability of housing instability programming. Collective investment in evidence-based interventions would advance shared objectives and reduce overreliance on local public funding streams that are often vulnerable to shifting economic and policy pressures, including recent federal health, housing and social service funding cuts.

Founded in 2018, the Flexible Housing Pool, operated by the Center for Housing + Health, brings together healthcare organizations, philanthropy, local government and housing providers to deliver supportive housing for people who frequently use emergency, shelter and criminal justice systems.

Among the report's findings:

• Between 2019 and 2024, the program provided supportive housing to 1,750 individuals across 998 households, achieving a 92% housing retention rate after 12 months.
• Participants experienced a 97% reduction in emergency shelter utilization, a 72% reduction in street outreach encounters, a 46% reduction in 911 emergency medical service activations, an 81% reduction in jail registrations, and a 32% reduction in Chicago Police Department calls for service.

During the first year after being housed, participants saw a 91% reduction in emergency department visits and an 89% reduction in inpatient hospital days, with sustained reductions in avoidable hospital utilization over five years.

• Reduced utilization of crisis services generates an estimated $14,492 in annual cost offsets per household, recovering approximately half of the annual housing investment. At its current scale, the program produces more than $11 million in annual cost offsets.

“This report demonstrates that Cook County and the City of Chicago’s investment in supportive housing improved health outcomes for participants, reduced strain on crisis systems, and strengthened our communities,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “As the federal government continues to retreat from its obligation to fund essential health, housing and social services, the burden is increasingly falling on local governments that do not have the resources to fill those gaps. It will be critical that sectors that benefit from housing interventions like public safety, transportation, healthcare and our business community make meaningful financial contributions to sustain evidence-based housing interventions like this one.”

"Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to call home, and this report shows that supportive housing is not only the right thing to do, it is a proven investment in the health and well-being of our residents and our city,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “When we connect people experiencing homelessness with stable housing and the services they need, we make Chicago safer, reduce pressure on our emergency response systems and help more people get back on their feet. As federal support for housing and essential services continues to decline, we cannot afford to lose the progress we’ve made. The Flexible Housing Pool shows what is possible when government, healthcare providers, philanthropy and community partners come together to build a safer, more affordable Chicago where every resident has the opportunity to thrive."

"We know that health begins long before someone enters a clinic or hospital. When people have a safe place to live and the right supports, they experience better health, require fewer emergency and legal services, and are better able to thrive,” said Dr. Erik Mikaitis, Cook County Health. “Transportation agencies, law enforcement, healthcare providers, insurers and businesses all experience the downstream impacts and costs of homelessness and could collectively invest to scale proven solutions that improve lives while making effective use of limited resources.”

Researchers note that the measurable savings do not fully offset the cost of providing supportive housing. The report emphasizes, however, that the value of the Flexible Housing Pool extends beyond what can be captured in budget analyses. The evaluation concludes that human and societal benefits, combined with substantial reductions in crisis-system use and improved quality of life, represent a meaningful return on public and philanthropic investment.

“We are deeply grateful to the City of Chicago and Cook County Health for their investment in the Flexible Housing Pool, which has enabled us to provide supporting housing to nearly 1,800 residents and establish housing as an important public health intervention,” said Peter Toepfer, Executive Director, Center for Housing + Health. “Funding needs for supportive housing services are increasing, and we hope that other partners will join our effort so that we may sustain this important progress.”

The report concludes that supportive housing should be viewed as both a public health strategy and a fiscally responsible investment, demonstrating that coordinated housing and healthcare interventions can improve quality of life, reduce preventable healthcare utilization, lessen demands on emergency response systems and improve lives.