Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF) and its eleven members, who, like Mercy Housing, are all non-profit affordable housing providers, are embarking today on an endeavor to enroll newly eligible affordable housing residents in Medicaid or subsidized insurance through the newly formed health insurance exchanges.

“Our goal is to use the affordable housing our members provide as a platform to help residents improve the quality of their lives. A fundamental need of all of our residents is affordable health care, and we have taken on this effort to help enable our residents to combat the adverse effects of poverty on their health.” said SAHF President Bill Kelly.

During the open enrollment period, which begins today and ends on March 31, 2014, SAHF members, partnering with local enrollment aides such as navigators, will be aggressively undertaking activities across the country to encourage and support residents’ efforts to enroll, including posting materials and resources at properties, in newsletters and on websites as well as hosting enrollment events.

SAHF will support these efforts by providing a venue to share resources and feedback, partnering with other national housing organizations focused on similar efforts, and working with our members to track their efforts and outcomes.

“Mercy Housing has seen how a lack of safe and decent housing can impact the health and well-being of our residents,” said Carol Breslau, Mercy Housing Senior Vice President of National Resident Services. “The health care and affordable housing industries need to partner to build healthy communities for those who need it most. This endeavor will further our efforts to do just that.”

SAHF looks forward to collaborating with others in the affordable housing industry during this effort as we continue to look for ways to help improve the services we provide and the impact they have on the lives of our residents.