Access to safe, affordable housing supports people’s physical and mental health.

The health care system has an important role in connecting patients to housing, but housing programs themselves need substantial additional resources to make a meaningful dent in the number of households that struggle to afford housing.

How bad is the problem? Over 17 million households eligible for federal rental assistance don’t receive it due to limited funding. In other words, almost 25 percent of renter households are spending more than 50 percent of their income on housing.

And on the health side, even as powerful as Medicaid is for millions of low-income families, it can’t fill the gaps left by underfunded housing, nutrition, and other social services. It can, however, partner with housing providers and others to address enrollees’ social needs.

Federal, state, and local governments must provide more funding for these programs that directly address the health and housing needs of low-income people.

Read: Housing and Health Partners Can Work Together to Close the Housing Affordability Gap

Read: Medicaid Can Partner With Housing Providers and Others to Address Enrollees' Social Needs

Want to know more about integrating housing and health systems for better health? Check out our Connecting the Dots project.