Homelessness is a pervasive issue faced by cities around the world. In broad terms, it encompasses a range of situations including rough sleeping, temporary accommodation, overcrowded housing, and hidden homelessness. This case study will examine how Helsinki, Finland has been handling this issue in recent years with special emphasis on its ‘Housing First’ policy.
For years Helsinki grappled with rising numbers of homeless people, usually men with mental health and substance abuse problems. The typical approach employed was the staircase model, where an individual transitioned through stages of temporary accommodations before they could claim permanent housing. Unfortunately, the success rate of this approach was disappointingly low.
In 2008, change came with a radical shift in policy called ‘Housing First.’ The groundbreaking idea behind this model is surprisingly simple. Instead of expecting the homeless to solve their personal problems before obtaining a home, this strategy provided a stable home first. This base was seen as the foundation for resolving other issues like lack of education, unemployment, and health problems.
Since implementing the Housing First policy, Helsinki has made significant strides in reducing homelessness. Today, they are the only European capital that can boast a decline in homelessness. Moreover, the initiative has sidestepped the cycle in which people would be forced into destitution, halfway homes, rehabilitation, or shelters that failed to rectify systemic homelessness.
An essential part of the scheme is providing needed support services that cater to each individual’s needs. These range from helping individuals pay their rent and dealing with neighbourhood complaints, to providing comprehensive health, legal, and financial advice. Unlike traditional models, the Housing First philosophy encourages clients to be active participants in the process and make decisions about their life and living arrangements.
Take the case of Juha, a 32-year-old man who lived on the streets of Helsinki for over four years. Juha battled alcoholism and a string of bad debts. The adoption of the Housing First approach saw Juha get a rental flat from Helsinki city. Alongside the accommodation, he received tailored assistance with his alcoholism and financial counselling. Today, Juha is alcohol-free and works as a cleaner. He represents one of the countless success stories of the Helsinki Housing First model.
Despite widespread success, the programme isn’t without its challenges. The most dominant being the huge financial investment required for the infrastructure. Establishing adequate housing stock is a costly endeavour, not to mention the price tag associated with comprehensive social services.
Even so, the Finnish model demonstrates how tackling the symptom directly can alleviate the problem. The financial burden of emergency housing, health care, and criminal justice services, typically linked with homelessness, has seen a significant decline since the Housing First approach.
Other limitations come with the difficulty of measuring the long-term effectiveness of the scheme. For example, tracking the number of people who, after receiving housing, subsequently relapse into homelessness or those who abuse the system.
Nevertheless, Helsinki’s Housing First policy offers a relevant model. It proves a crucial point; housing stability is a precondition for solving other life-related problems, not a reward for solving them. With homelessness being an issue that plagues cities worldwide, it prompts other nations to consider how they can adapt the Housing First model to fit their own societal needs.
In conclusion, while the homelessness narrative varies greatly across different countries, Helsinki’s approach demonstrates a viable solution worth evaluating. The Housing First initiative can be a useful tool in providing an environment to enable the homeless to get their life back on track, treating chronically homeless people with dignity and respect rather than as a problem to be ‘fixed.’
The Helsinki case study is a clear signal that solving homelessness is less about offering temporary solutions and more about providing a stable base from which individuals can rehabilitate and grow. Most importantly, it reminds us that every person who is experiencing homelessness has a right to a home.
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