Housing first

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Housing First is a relatively recent innovation in human service programs and social policy regarding treatment of the homeless. Rather than moving homeless individuals through different "levels" of housing, known as the Continuum of Care, whereby each level moves them closer to "independent housing" (for example: from the streets to a public shelter, and from a public shelter to a shelter run by a state agency, and from there to a transitional housing program, and from there to their own apartment in the community) Housing First moves the homeless immediately from the streets or homeless shelters into their own apartments.

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[edit] General

Pioneered by Sam Tsemberis and the organization Pathways to Housing in New York City in the early 1990s, Housing First is premised on the notion that housing is a basic human right, and so should not be denied to anyone, even if they are abusing alcohol or other substances. Previous and current models may require the homeless to abjure substance-abuse and seek treatment in exchange for housing[citation needed].

Housing First, when supported by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, does not only provide housing. The model, used by nonprofit agencies throughout America, also provides wraparound case management services to the tenants. This case management provides stability for homeless individuals and families, which increases their success. It allows for accountability and promotes self-sufficiency. The housing provided through government supported Housing First programs is permanent and "affordable," meaning that tenants pay 30% of their income towards rent. Housing First targets individuals and families with disabilities.[1] This housing is supported through two HUD programs. They are the Supportive Housing Program and the Shelter Plus Care Program.[2]

Housing First is currently endorsed by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) as a "best practice" for governments and service-agencies to use in their fight to end homelessness in America, and is similarly endorsed by government agencies that deal with the homeless in the United Kingdom[citation needed].

Housing First programs currently operate throughout the United States in cities such as Anchorage, Alaska, New York City, Denver, Colorado, San Francisco, California, Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago, Illinois, Quincy, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Seattle, Washington among many others, and are intended to be crucial aspects of communities' 10-Year Plans To End Chronic Homelessness also advocated by USICH.

In Massachusetts, the Home & Healthy for Good program reported some significant outcomes that were favorable especially in the area of cost savings.[3]

There are many complications of this kind of program and these must be dealt with to make such an initiative work successfully in the middle to long term. [4] [5]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Applicability of Housing First Models to Homeless Persons with Serious Mental Illness. HUD (July,2007).
  2. ^ HUD Homeless Assistance Programs. HUD (December 21,2007).
  3. ^ "MHSA Submits Updated Home & Healthy for Good Report to Legislature: Statewide Housing First initiative reports dramatic cost savings to Commonwealth" - December 2007
  4. ^ Abel, David, "For the homeless, keys to a home: Large-scale effort to keep many off street faces hurdles", Boston Globe, February 24, 2008.
  5. ^ Bridegam, Martha, "When Supportive Housing Isn't", ShelterForce magazine, Winter 2007, National Housing Institute

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[edit] External links