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Why Furniture Is the Missing Link in Housing Stability

Nearly all public housing funds pay for walls, not what goes inside. But research shows that furnishings are essential—boosting housing retention, reducing stress, and improving mental health. This page breaks down the numbers and shares two white papers that make the case. 

Key Facts at a Glance

Impact Area                                      Insight                                                                                                                      

Funding Gap                                     Less than 1% of housing dollars cover furnishings   

Cost to Furnish                                Just $1,000 can fully furnish a home via a furniture bank   

Housing Recidivism                      Furniture reduces returns to homelessness by up to 50%   

Mental Health Boost                     91% of families felt more stable, 80% felt healthier 

                                                                       after receiving furniture

Family Cohesion                             73% of parents said relationships with their children improved   

Economic Efficiency                    Furnishing a unit costs 0.5% of what it takes to build one    


Why It Works

  •  Furniture isn’t charity—it’s infrastructure. It helps people succeed in housing the same way utilities and case management do.
     
  • It’s shovel-ready. Furniture banks already exist and can scale quickly with modest public investment.
     
  • It protects other investments. If a $1,000 furniture package keeps someone housed, it prevents the need for much costlier shelter or re-housing.

Evidence You Can Act On

 Cost Model: $1K = 1 Home Furnished

What policymakers need to know about leveraging furniture banks for high-impact, low-cost support. 

DownLoad Here

 Furnishings, Mental Health, and Homelessness Recurrence
Explores how empty housing contributes to returns to homelessness—and how furniture restores stability. 

Download HEre

It’s time to fund what works.

When homes are furnished, people stay housed. Dignity, stability, and family life begin with a place to sit, eat, and sleep. 

What $1,000 Delivers: A Closer Look

For less than a month’s rent, a furniture bank can transform an empty apartment into a livable home. Here's what a typical $1,000 investment provides through the furniture bank model:

Essentials Provided:

  • A bed with mattress
  • A kitchen table and 4 chairs
  • A couch or loveseat
  • A dresser or storage unit
  • Basic housewares (e.g. dishes, cookware)
     

What It Enables:

  • A child gets to sleep in a real bed—not on the floor
  • Families can eat together at a table, not on crates
  • Parents can focus on employment and healing instead of survival
  • Tenants stay in their housing longer—protecting public investments

They were able to come home from school and see that they had a place to sleep… They had a bed. That was good.”

— Furniture bank client 

(Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta)



This isn’t charity. It’s dignity delivered—and infrastructure that works. 

It’s time to fund what works

 When homes are furnished, people stay housed. Dignity, stability, and family life begin with a place to sit, eat, and sleep. 

ACt now

Resources & References

Cost Model: Furnishing Supportive Housing for Homeless (2025) (pdf)Download
Furnishings, Mental Health, and Homelessness Recurrence (2025) (pdf)Download
Furnishing Government-Supported Housing - A Deep Dive (2025) (pdf)Download

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118 South Yale Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43222

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