As already set out in an earlier instalment, Article 19.4 of the Finnish Constitution establishes housing as a basic human right in. Finland bases its resultant strategy on four guiding principles to eliminate homelessness:
The homeless can go straight to living in a rental apartment without temporary arrangements. Health and social problems are only addressed once housing is permanent and safe. For some, the best model is an ordinary rental apartment. And, others need to live in a housing unit where there is support around the clock, seven days a week.
The homeless are clients. As clients, they can choose services. The substance dependent do not need to give up intoxicants. The goal is to reduce use and harm and to work toward elimination. Services are structured to respect the autonomy of the client and strengthen participation.
In all interactions, clients are treated as equals, with dignity and respect. The objective is a trust based relationship that allows clients to manage their individual situations on their own terms. This requires stripping advisors and counsellors of “power” and adopting new approaches to find appropriate long term solutions to client issues. Even the smallest of everyday achievements is celebrated.
Residents get help to make their new dwelling a home. Clients get a lease – just this creates a feeling of permanence. Clients get help maintaining or re-establishing supportive networks such as with family and friends. Housing First has established a systematic approach to neighbourhood connection. This development of a strong sense of community helps residents realize that they are part of something important and empowering.
These three elements have to be in harmony because:
Implicit in the above is that all stakeholders in the effort to eliminate homelessness, work together. This includes all levels of government, social services, housing authorities, and the agencies engaged in serving the homeless.
Housing First is embraced by numerous jurisdictions but they fall short when asked to set policies that imbed Housing as a Human Right which then, as in Finland’s case, requires that social housing be funded, built and maintained. Instead, in Ontario, we have the More Homes Built Faster Act which will achieve neither and especially will not reduce homelessness by one individual.
Victor Willis, Executive Director, The Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre, Toronto
Finland’s steadfast application of its Housing First policy demonstrates that eliminating homelessness of the vulnerable is possible.
Lisbon’s seven hills and waterfront make it visually spectacular. The second oldest capital in Europe, the city has energy. Busy streets and squares, full restaurants, and vibrant night life – the city pulsates. And, the population seems young. All signs of a city on the rise? Earthquake A 1755 earthquake destroyed 85% of the city […]
People living on the street have come to symbolize the global housing crisis but they are only the tip of the iceberg. While the examples of Finland and Houston demonstrate a focussed plan pursued diligently can resolve the housing situation for the chronically homeless, addressing the affordable housing problem is much more complex. Defining Affordability […]
I love to dance. This is not something new for me. I can’t remember when I didn’t like to move to the music. My first memories of watching others dance come from my childhood in Cape Breton where I would watch the adults square dance. Then, there were the step dancers who would often accompany […]
Kings Cross, once a thriving industrial and transport centre in London, was effectively closed off to the public by the end of the 20th century. Then in 1996, the decision was made to move the British terminus for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Waterloo to St-Pancras. The landowner saw a re-development opportunity for […]
I have postulated that cities and towns evolve. That towns and villages first grow in areas where the basics to support life were plentiful. Typically, that means good agricultural land and good access to water. Other valuable considerations include safety, and resilience. The bonus – access to trade routes. Walt Disney and the Fully Formed […]
A Visit from Saint Nicholas A Poem by Jonathan Potter – December 2022 ‘Twas the first mask-free Christmas, when all through the stores The vaccinated children were spewing their spores;The shoppers were eagerly starting to riotAs the introverts longed for some quarantine quiet. The public healthcare workers were tracing the pathOf the flu and RSV, […]