Housing First

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Housing First , also known as rapid re-housing, is a relatively new approach from US social policy to dealing with homelessness and an alternative to the traditional system of emergency shelter and temporary housing. The approach has also been implemented in Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Portugal and Austria for several years.

definition

In contrast to other programs, with this approach the homeless do not have to “qualify” for independent and permanent housing through various levels of accommodation, but can move directly into their “own” apartment. The mostly existing tiered model, in which a move between different types of living is provided (for example from homeless to night quarters to transitional living and only then to one's own apartment) means that here too, at the end of the day, there is one's own apartment. However, it is usually provided that the support ends when you move into your own apartment.

This is different with Housing First: Support is continuously offered in your own home as needed. In addition, abstinence from alcohol or other substances is not required as a prerequisite. Support and programs can be used, but they are not mandatory. The approach is based on the fact that a homeless person or family needs stable housing first and foremost, and other matters should only be addressed afterwards. Most of the other programs, on the other hand, operate on a 'habitability' model, which means that other problems that have led to homelessness need to be addressed first.

Results

According to initial studies, the number of people living on the street in areas with such a program decreased by 30 percent, so that even the number of emergency housing could be reduced. One study found that 77 percent of those who started the program were still on it two years later. Studies in Europe also came to the result "that housing stability after 24 months is higher even in people with double diagnoses and without care obligation and that homelessness occurs less often than in control groups with an abstinence requirement". Not only does the health of the program participants improve, alcohol consumption and the crime rate also decrease, while the willingness to offer therapy increases. For the communities, this also means a significant cost reduction through a decrease in incarceration, but above all through the reduced use of emergency services and other medical care services. "Even if you include the expenses for accommodation, the total costs are halved."

literature

Documentation

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Rachel L. Swarns: US Reports Drop in Homeless Population ( s ) In: New York Times . July 30, 2008. Accessed April 16.
  2. ↑ Monica Brady-Myerov: Homelessness On The Decline In Boston ( en ) WBUR Radio Boston. September 29, 2010. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  3. ^ A b Jennifer Perlman, John Parvensky: Denver Housing First Collaborative. Cost Benefit Analysis and Program Outcomes Report. ( en , PDF; 85.82 kB) Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. December 11, 2006. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  4. ↑ Housing First - A new way out of poverty. In: staedtebund.gv.at. Austrian Association of Cities, December 24, 2009, accessed April 5, 2018 .
  5. ↑ a b Alcoholism: “Housing first” lowers utility costs. (No longer available online.) In: aerzteblatt.de. Deutsches Ärzteblatt, April 1, 2009, archived from the original on April 5, 2018 ; accessed on April 5, 2018 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.aerzteblatt.de