College focused rapid rehousing: Deploying an existing community model to address homelessness on campus

Abstract

Research indicates that financial and housing insecurity challenges are widespread on most college campuses throughout the U.S. However, there is wide variability in how campuses address these challenges. This study reports on a three-year implementation of the College-Focused Rapid Rehousing pilot; an initiative in California by which universities commissioned community providers to assist students in need via a modified Rapid Rehousing (RRH) intervention. RRH is a widely implemented intervention that combines move-in assistance, short-term rental subsidies, and ongoing case management, to help individuals quickly transition into stable housing. The mixed-methods evaluation included analyses of online surveys (n = 141), administrative records (n = 368), and focus groups conducted with staff across eight campuses (n = 35). Survey findings indicate that CFRR programs assisted a diverse group of students with similar histories of housing insecurity. Quantitative analyses also show that most participants experienced the intervention as designed, though with some inconsistencies in how quickly some were assisted. Qualitative findings highlight contextual factors that affected the consistency of the intervention, including tight rental markets and philosophical disagreements among administrators about the intervention’s scope. Despite study limitations, findings provide insights into the applicability of the RRH model on campus settings and directions for future research.

Keywords:

• College student homelessness
• housing insecurity
• rapid rehousing
• supportive housing intervention

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The survey data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, [AB]. The administrative data are not publicly available because they contain information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Funding

Data collected and preliminary analyses were sponsored by the Kresge Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, and the Walter S. Johnson Foundation.