Citing increased rents and a sharp drop in vacancies after Hurricane Harvey, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has joined with the Houston Housing Authority, Coalition for the Homeless, CSH, and the City of Houston to launch the Landlord Engagement and Assistance Program (LEAP), a new initiative designed to boost the availability of affordable rental units by bringing Houston’s landlords together with prospective tenants who are experiencing homelessness.

Thanks to a $300,000 grant from JPMorgan Chase, LEAP will fund a full-time staff person to operate as a liaison to landlords on behalf of The Way Home and local housing and services providers. By dedicating staff and offering intensive hands-on support, LEAP will become a one-stop shop for landlord partners, helping them navigate various government agencies and the subsidy process or troubleshooting tenant-related issues.

“Working together, we can provide desperately needed housing for the most vulnerable among us – young people aging out of foster care, the elderly and disabled, homeless veterans and families looking to pull their lives back together after Hurricane Harvey,” said Carolyn Watson, head of philanthropy for JPMorgan Chase in Houston. “Our partnership will do more than address affordable housing. Together we can change the lives of homeless Houstonians.”

Click here to read the full press release.

Are you a property manager in Harris, Fort Bend, or Montgomery County, TX who wants to be a part of ending homelessness in your community? Click here to learn more about how you can partner with The Way Home.