Housing Stability Takes More Than a Referral.
Access to services is important. But meaningful stability often requires addressing the interconnected challenges that influence people's ability to access, engage with, and benefit from support.
Understanding the Challenge
Instability is rarely the result of a single event. It can become a web of overlapping factors. Our advocates help navigate these core barriers to stability.
Housing Affordability
When housing costs outpace income, stability becomes harder to maintain. THE CHALLENGE Across the Capital Region, housing costs are placing increasing pressure on households. According to the Capital District Regional Planning Commission's 2026 housing affordability report, one-bedroom fair market rents increased approximately 15%, while renter wages grew just 3.9%. Even households receiving rental assistance may remain vulnerable when their income cannot consistently cover housing and other essential expenses. OUR APPROACH STAY looks beyond immediate housing expenses to understand the broader financial circumstances affecting each household. Through individualized navigation and advocacy, we help people explore available benefits, identify opportunities to reduce essential expenses, connect with housing and financial resources, and coordinate support with existing providers. WHY IT MATTERS Addressing multiple financial pressures may help households preserve income for housing, reduce the likelihood of recurring crises, and strengthen their ability to maintain stability. Source: Capital District Regional Planning Commission, At What Cost? 2026 Housing Affordability in the Capital Region.
Income Stability
Having income doesn't always mean having financial security. THE CHALLENGE Across the Capital Region, 36% of households struggle to afford basic necessities, according to the 2026 State of ALICE Report. Low or inconsistent wages, changes in employment, unexpected expenses, and gaps in public benefits can create financial instability. Even households with steady income may struggle to maintain housing when essential expenses exceed available resources. OUR APPROACH STAY works alongside individuals and families to understand the economic circumstances affecting their stability. Through individualized navigation and advocacy, we help people explore eligibility for public benefits, connect with employment and income-related resources, address barriers to accessing assistance, and identify opportunities to reduce essential household expenses. WHY IT MATTERS Strengthening access to financial resources and addressing competing household expenses may help people better manage their housing costs, navigate unexpected challenges, and reduce their vulnerability to recurring financial crises. Source: 2026 State of ALICE Report, United Way of the Greater Capital Region
Transportation Access
Access to support depends on the ability to reach it. Reliable transportation plays an important role in maintaining housing stability. Without it, everyday activities such as getting to work, attending appointments, and accessing essential resources can become significant challenges. 15.8% Of U.S. adults living below the poverty threshold lacked reliable transportation for essential daily activities in 2022. THE CHALLENGE Transportation barriers can interfere with employment, health care, housing opportunities, and access to essential services. For individuals with limited financial resources, unreliable transportation can create additional challenges that threaten housing stability. OUR APPROACH STAY helps individuals overcome transportation barriers through transportation assistance, individualized resource navigation, and coordination with community partners. Our approach focuses on improving access to essential appointments, housing opportunities, and supportive services. WHY IT MATTERS Reliable transportation helps people stay connected to employment, health care, and community resources. Addressing transportation barriers can strengthen access to services and reduce challenges that contribute to housing instability. PUTTING OUR APPROACH INTO PRACTICE By incorporating transportation assistance into our broader service model, STAY addresses a practical barrier that can prevent individuals from accessing the very resources intended to support their stability. Source: CDC, National Health Interview Survey, 2022 (published 2024).
Communication Barriers
Access to services depends on the ability to communicate and stay connected. Phone service, internet access, digital literacy, and clear communication play important roles in navigating housing, health care, employment, and public benefits. 46% Of U.S. adults in households earning less than $30,000 annually did not have a home broadband subscription in 2025. THE CHALLENGE Many essential services rely on phone calls, online applications, electronic documents, and timely communication. Individuals without reliable phone or internet access may struggle to receive appointment reminders, complete applications, respond to housing opportunities, or maintain contact with service providers. Communication barriers can also involve language accessibility, difficulty understanding complex instructions, and challenges navigating administrative systems. OUR APPROACH STAY recognizes communication access as an essential component of effective service navigation. Through individualized assistance, accessible communication, application support, and help connecting with community resources, we work to reduce barriers that interfere with accessing services. We adapt our communication and engagement strategies to individual circumstances rather than relying exclusively on a single method of contact. WHY IT MATTERS Improving communication access can help individuals remain connected to essential services, respond to opportunities, complete important processes, and participate more consistently in decisions affecting their stability. PUTTING OUR APPROACH INTO PRACTICE STAY prioritizes accessible, relationship-centered communication. By offering individualized assistance with paperwork, service navigation, and follow-up, we help individuals work through communication challenges that might otherwise interrupt their access to support. Source: Pew Research Center, What We Know About Internet Use, Smartphone Ownership and Digital Divides in the U.S. (January 2026), based on 2025 survey data.
Healthcare Engagement
Access to health care is only the beginning. Staying connected to care matters, too. Physical health conditions, behavioral health needs, and difficulty accessing treatment can affect a person's financial circumstances, employment, daily functioning, and ability to maintain stable housing. 17% Of U.S. adults delayed or went without some form of health care due to cost in 2024. THE CHALLENGE Having health insurance or receiving a referral does not always mean someone can access or remain engaged in care. Transportation difficulties, financial barriers, limited provider availability, and challenges navigating health systems can prevent individuals from receiving the support they need. When health needs remain unaddressed, the effects can extend beyond health care, potentially disrupting employment, increasing household expenses, and creating additional risks to housing stability. OUR APPROACH STAY helps individuals navigate health care systems, understand available options, and connect with appropriate providers and community-based supports. Through individualized navigation, advocacy, and coordination with existing services, we help address barriers to accessing primary care, behavioral health treatment, substance use services, health insurance, and ongoing support. WHY IT MATTERS Improving access to health care and supporting continued engagement may help individuals manage health-related challenges, reduce disruptions to daily life, and strengthen the conditions needed to maintain stability. PUTTING OUR APPROACH INTO PRACTICE STAY works to bridge the gap between receiving a referral and accessing meaningful support. By helping individuals navigate enrollment, appointments, service connections, and practical barriers, we support continuity of care alongside broader housing stability goals. Source: KFF, How Does Cost Affect Access to Health Care? (March 2026), using 2024 National Health Interview Survey data.
Fragmented Services
Having access to multiple services doesn't always mean receiving coordinated support. Individuals and families experiencing housing instability often navigate multiple organizations, programs, eligibility requirements, and service systems simultaneously. 4 in 10 Approximately four in ten U.S. primary care physicians identified a lack of information about community social service providers as a major barrier to coordinating care. THE CHALLENGE Housing, health care, behavioral health, financial assistance, and community support programs frequently operate through separate systems. Individuals may work with multiple providers while still experiencing communication gaps, repeated assessments, conflicting instructions, or difficulty understanding who is responsible for addressing particular needs. When services are disconnected, people may be left navigating complex systems without sufficient coordination or continuity. OUR APPROACH STAY works to strengthen connections between individuals, service providers, and community resources. Through relationship-centered navigation, advocacy, and cross-agency collaboration, we help individuals clarify priorities, understand available options, and coordinate next steps with organizations involved in their support. Rather than duplicating specialized services, STAY works alongside existing providers to address gaps in access, communication, and follow-through. WHY IT MATTERS Improved coordination can help reduce unnecessary duplication, clarify responsibilities, strengthen continuity, and make it easier for individuals to navigate the supports available to them. PUTTING OUR APPROACH INTO PRACTICE STAY emphasizes collaboration and individualized follow-through. By maintaining relationships with community organizations and helping individuals navigate multiple service systems, we work to strengthen continuity between referrals, available resources, and meaningful support. Source: Commonwealth Fund, How Care Coordination Varies in 10 Countries (August 2026), based on the 2025 International Health Policy Survey of Primary Care Physicians.
Four Pillars. One Commitment to Stability.
Our multi-layer strategy addresses immediate crises while building the long-term foundations for housing security.
Prevent
Identifying Challenges Before Crises
Reducing vulnerability by addressing common causes of instability early, helping households reduce risks to housing instability through proactive identification, advocacy, and navigation.
Proactive Outreach
Meeting individuals in the community to identify risks before they trigger a housing crisis.
Navigational Support
Connecting households with benefits and resources that bridge temporary financial gaps.
ResponD
Addressing Immediate Instability
Intervening during a crisis while simultaneously establishing the supports needed to prevent future instability and promote health engagement.
Crisis Advocacy
Collaborating with providers to stabilize immediate housing and personal safety needs.
Stabilization Planning
Building stronger connections to healthcare, mental health support, and community-based supports.
SUSTAIN
Providing Steady, Low-Barrier Support
We recognize that stability is an ongoing process. STAY emphasizes proactiveness, continuity, and responsiveness, helping individuals maintain access to support while adapting assistance to their changing circumstances, priorities, and goals.
Maintaining Progess
Supporting individuals as they work to preserve housing stability, maintain essential resources, and address circumstances that could undermine their progress.
Navigating Changing Circumstances
Helping individuals adapt to changes in housing, finances, health, or other life circumstances through practical navigation, advocacy, and connections to appropriate support.
Flexible Engagement Support
Working with individuals to determine the level and frequency of support that works for them.
Strengthen
Building Connections That Expand Community Support
STAY strengthens relationships between individuals, organizations, and community resources through intentional partnership development, collaborative problem-solving, and shared learning.
Collaborative Community Partnerships
We cultivate relationships with community organizations, service providers, and public agencies to improve coordination, share knowledge, identify service gaps, and develop collaborative solutions.
Our approach emphasizes cooperation over competition, recognizing that meaningful community improvements often require organizations to work beyond their individual programs and responsibilities.
Frontline Relationship Development
We encourage frontline staff to establish and maintain professional relationships with community providers, develop knowledge of available resources, and identify opportunities for collaboration through their everyday work.
These connections strengthen individual service delivery while expanding STAY's collective knowledge and community network.
Bridging People and Systems
We work to strengthen connections between individuals and the systems designed to support them. Through relationship-centered engagement, advocacy, and coordinated navigation, we help bridge gaps in communication, accessibility, and service delivery so people can more effectively access and engage with essential supports.
Interconnected Approach: prevent, respond, sustain, and strengthen often overlap to reduce gaps in stability.
THE PERSON & THEIR GOALS
The Principles Behind Our Approach
Practice-Informed Framework
Explore how STAY's relationship-centered service framework guides our frontline engagement and helps individuals work toward lasting stability.
EMERGING APPROACH
This framework represents STAY's practice-informed approach developed through direct engagement with our community.
Meaningful support requires more than access to resources. Our approach emphasizes proactive engagement, continuity, and responsiveness to help individuals navigate challenges, maintain connections, and work toward stability on their own terms.
RESPONSIVE SUPPORT
PROACTIVE ENGAGEMENT
CONTINUITY OF SUPPORT
RELATIONSHIP-CENTERED PRACTICE
WHOLE-PERSON UNDERSTANDING
INDIVIDUAL AUTONOMY
COLLABORATION
One Framework. Four Interconnected Pillars.
These principles guide how STAY works across our four pillars: Prevent, Respond, Sustain, and Strengthen. They influence how we identify needs, navigate challenges, maintain relationships, and collaborate with individuals and community partners.
Anticipating Needs. Identifying Opportunities.
Maintaining Connections Over Time.
Adapting to Changing Circumstances.