Born out of the need to find a better way for property managers to contact homeless people on the list for affordable housing, Haven Connect, an online platform developed in 2014 makes it easier for property managers to connect with affordable housing applicants when units become available. The platform allows property managers to send applicants emails and text messages, making the process of updating contact information a lot easier because according to the platform’s leadership, many low-income residents have access to the internet via a phone, library, or case manager.
The next step is to upgrade the platform so that property managers won’t have to lift a finger to begin the communication process. Haven Connect is currently operating in four states, including Texas, California, New York and Massachusetts. There are currently 5,400 apartments on the site with a goal to increase to 30,000 by the end of 2019.