What can the US learn from Finland's Housing-First policy?

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Unsheltered people face several barriers when trying to lift themselves out of homelessness. Unsurprisingly, the severe lack of affordable housing is a significant obstacle for individuals experiencing homelessness. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there is a shortage of affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income renters, with only 36 affordable homes available for every 100 extremely low-income renters. 

In some countries, innovative approaches have been taken to help address these challenges. In Finland, for example, the government adopted a "Housing First" approach to address homelessness. The program provides individuals experiencing homelessness with permanent, affordable housing and wraparound support services, such as mental health care and employment counseling, without requiring them to demonstrate sobriety or complete treatment programs first. This approach has been successful, with Finland achieving a 35% decrease in homelessness between 2008 and 2018. The program has been so successful that it has since been adopted in other countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom.

 

To implement a Housing First approach in the United States, local governments and organizations would need to prioritize funding and resources for permanent, affordable housing options for individuals experiencing homelessness. This would require collaboration between housing providers, healthcare providers, and social service organizations. In addition to housing, wraparound support services such as mental health care, substance abuse treatment, and job training and placement would need to be provided to individuals in a coordinated and integrated manner. While the costs of implementing a Housing First approach may be significant in the short term, studies have shown that it can ultimately lead to cost savings for local governments and taxpayers.

 

Salt Lake City, UT is one example of an American city pushing forward a similar policy, and they have seen good results. Adopting a Housing First approach would require a significant shift in priorities and resources for addressing homelessness in the United States, but the potential benefits for individuals and communities make it a promising approach to consider.

 

Read more about other housing first approaches here: https://endhomelessness.org/blog/what-housing-first-really-means/

 

Get involved: https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/we-can-end-homelessness-through-housing-first-interventions




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