An increasing numbers of stakeholders in the affordable housing field would like to understand which services may offer the greatest impact. This “Program Classification Framework” is a first step towards a common language for dimensioning not just the presence of services and resident outcomes, but the type of services provided. Using information from SAHF members and partners, SAHF identified consistent categories and descriptions of programs and services to inform this Framework.

Organizations can provide and connect residents to a wide variety of services at their properties, from community gardening to eviction prevention and financial coaching. This Framework provides a list of 75 program types that map to seven “Program Areas,” with definitions and examples for each. While organizations can tailor this list to their own goals and objectives, this provides a starting point for organizations working to expand or better categorize programming.

This framework is one component of a systems approach to resident services, grounded in the resources, priorities and opportunities of residents and communities, and integrated with or complimentary to other tracking conducted by housing providers, such as the tracking of resident participation/engagement with programs and short-term or long-term resident outcomes. 

SAHF looks forward to continuing to update and improve this Framework in collaboration with members, partners, and CORES certified organizations.