About Pathway Homes

Pathway Homes, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides non-time-limited housing and supportive services to 1,553 adults with serious mental illness and other co-occurring disabilities in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Pathway Homes was founded in 1980 by a coalition of family members seeking better support for their loved ones with mental illness and mental health professionals who believed safe and decent housing plus tailored support were powerful tools for recovery.

What We Do: Housing Acquisition

The very nature of permanent supportive housing means that in order to serve more individuals, to realize our vision, we must continually acquire more housing units. Though sometimes challenging, Pathways’ success is based on a philosophy of creative problem solving and a collaborative model of housing acquisition.

Pathway Homes owns 135 units, some of which were obtained through estate planning and family donation. Others were purchased through a number of federal and state grant funds, including Community Development Block Grants. When the housing crisis led to a glut of foreclosure properties in the region, Pathway Homes was able to utilize funding from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to acquire and refurbish several homes, helping to preserve the integrity of neighborhoods and stabilize property values.

Pathway Homes also leases apartments, townhouses, and single family homes from private property owners. Under housing programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), individuals who meet the definition of homelessness will pay 30% of their adjusted net income in rent, and Pathway Homes provides the HUD-backed subsidy for the difference.

In other cases, properties are owned by a partner agency that then contracts with Pathway Homes to manage the day-to-day activities and provide the case management and supportive services to the residents of those homes.

What We Do: Education and Advocacy

Pathway Homes’ advocacy work seeks to build support for public policies to protect and improve access to permanent supportive housing and mental health services in the public and private sectors. We support initiatives to prevent and end homelessness, and increase availability of and access to effective recovery services for adults with mental illnesses and/or co-occurring disabilities.

Policy change is one major way we can make a difference in the lives of people living with mental health conditions and their families. Pathway Homes lends its voice and experience to support legislative and public policy work at the county level, in the state legislature, and with federal agencies.

Building a coalition and effecting change begins by educating the public and breaking down the stigma and stereotypes that often accompany the homeless and mental illness. Through public awareness activities and events, Pathway Homes encourages knowledge and understanding, and seeks to make sure local communities understand the importance of mental health care and the role of permanent supportive housing.