Mission

Established in 1990 as a non-profit housing development organization, Common Ground?s mission is to solve homelessness through innovative programs that transform people, buildings, and communities.

Programs

For over 15 years, Common Ground?s permanent supportive housing residences have demonstrated that providing individuals with permanent housing, combined with the specific social services and supports they need to maintain their housing, offers a lasting and ultimately cost-effective way to solve homelessness. Common Ground has developed over 1,400 units of permanent and transitional housing, manages a total of over 1,600 units, and has over 1,350 new units in development. As program innovators, we address the needs of those who remain homeless the longest, as well as those most at risk of becoming homeless. In doing so, we knit together service providers, government agencies, landlords, businesses, and members of the community to support prevention and housing initiatives. We also own and operate successful social business ventures and provide employment to tenants and others. Finally, Common Ground assists not-for-profit organizations and government agencies in replicating our successful initiatives in other communities.

Relatively new research and the success of various initiatives in other cities argue for a profoundly new approach to homelessness than the one presently followed by many organizations and jurisdictions. The new paradigm is a hopeful one, emphasizing homelessness prevention and investments in housing as opposed to continued reliance on transitional shelters. Common Ground is poised to play an important role in this shift of resources. In the coming years, we will expand our services to reach a greater number of homeless individuals, while working with organizations across the City and nationally that are seeking to adapt our successful methods and approach.