MATSH (Minnesota Access to Supportive Housing) is a referral tool designed to locate supportive and transitional housing opportunities throughout the entire state of Minnesota. Housing locators or case managers in search of supportive services housing for homeless and precariously housed individuals, use MATSH to locate relevant housing options for their clients.
Tackling Complex Problems with Technology
Before MATSH, a comprehensive tool designed to find appropriate housing options for the homeless or those who qualify for subsidized, emergency, or other non-typical living situations did not exist. Our challenge was to create a web-based housing locator tool which was both easily searchable and tailored to fit each possible client scenario, combination of housing location and client-specific need. These unique client criteria were based on an individual’s personal profile and requirements.
Process, Planning is Important
Our process is important to us as well as our clients. For MATSH, we started by designing a new logo and brand identifiers. From there, we began wireframing and prototyping sophisticated user interactions for the entire site. After setting goals for the overall site design, it was presented to the client. After incorporating the feedback of multiple stakeholders on the client side, we went to work building the front-end and back-end of the final application.
Great Search Results
As a final result, the website features a clean, simple front-end design with a full-featured web app interface that’s easy to use. The team was able to incorporate a complex system of housing identifiers versus the vast possible criteria for individual qualifications with success. The website also comes complete with admin access to the site to allow both site admins and housing coordinators to enter and update housing availability. The site offers an incredibly robust search which incorporates scoring, vacancy, ‘great circle’ geographic logic, along with several other metrics. With this new site, MATSH has been helping Minnesotans in need to locate supportive housing as well as all available programs which match the prospective resident's needs and qualifications.
140
Housing Programs
Anticipated
638
Unit Searches in the Last
22 Months
140
Participating Organizations
with 2739 Units
470+
Sessions Per Month
156% Increase Over Same Month Previous Year