What is Housing First?
The Housing First philosophy is a fundamental shift in how we treat the chronically homeless population. It's a movement away from housing as a reward, to housing as a tool and as a human right.
Initiated by Dr. Sam Tsemberis as a means of addressing homelessness among people with psychiatric disabilities and addiction disorders. The Housing First philosophy centers on providing homeless people with permanent housing quickly, providing services as needed afterwards. Housing First differs from other 'housing readiness' strategies in its immediate and primary focus on helping individuals quickly access and retain permanent housing. It is a model that provides permanent housing without prerequisites for sobriety or treatment, and access to supportive health services. Housing first follows a harm reduction philosophy, where housing provides the foundation, stability, and safety necessary for the chronically homeless to move towards recovery. Housing First programs share core elements:
Here at the 100k Homes campaign retention through supportive services provided by local agencies is an essential part of the Housing process. |
"The traditional structures in place to “help” the homeless population often make things worse, particularly for those who suffer from mental illness. Shelters and transitional living programs often require people to pass sobriety tests and other hurdles before they can be considered for housing programs. Housing is considered a reward for good behavior instead of a tool to help stabilize a homeless-person’s mental health. This attitude cuts out the people who need the support the most, effectively punishing them for their conditions." National studies following and testing the Housing First model:
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