In 1990, a small group of people came together to bring to scale a new model of housing for people who were experiencing or at risk of homelessness - permanent supportive housing. The result was Breaking Ground's Times Square residence. Nearly 30 years later, the Times Square remains the largest supportive residence in the country, and thousands of people have been able to escape or avoid life on the streets by finding a home in one of its 652 apartments. Today, Breaking Ground operates nearly 4,000 units of housing across New York City, along with housing in upstate New York and Connecticut. Supportive housing - affordable housing paired with wraparound services designed to help people maintain their homes for the long-term - is widely recognized as a proven and cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness. And for individuals and families at the edge of homelessness, our affordable apartments serve a a crucial safety net. But we didn't stop at providing housing. Breaking Ground's programs and services help people experiencing street homelessness - especially those who have been on the streets the longest - to come indoors. Through our Street to Home outreach program and transitional housing resources, we help people get, and stay, on the path to a permanent home.
