Understanding Housing First: Principles and Impact
Housing First is a housing approach rooted in human rights and moral traditions. It offers unconditional, permanent housing and supportive services to housing-insecure individuals. The initiative has shown promising results in reducing homelessness and government costs, with support from religious institutions and legal bodies recognizing housing as a human right.
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Housing First 101 Housing First 101 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. What is Housing First? Housing First is grounded in human rights principles. Housing First is grounded in religious and moral traditions including in the U.S. Housing First applies to all housing-insecure people. Housing First works. Housing First is under threat.
What is Housing First? What is Housing First? Housing First provides unconditional, permanent housing as quickly as possible to people, and other supportive services as needed afterward.
Housing First is Grounded in Human Rights Principles Housing First is Grounded in Human Rights Principles FDR 1944 Second Bill of Rights ( The right of every family to a decent home UDHR, Art. 25, 1948 ( Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including . . . , housing ) ICESCR, Art. 11 ( The right of everyone to an adequate standard of living . . including adequate . . . housing ) 171 parties Many nations have right to housing in their constitutions or legislation and act on it (ex: Finland, South Africa, The Netherlands) Housing Assistance = Entitlement, a la SNAP/Food Stamps, Medicaid (ex: Australia, UK)
Housing First is Grounded in Religious and Moral Traditions . Housing First is Grounded in Religious and Moral Traditions . . . . Including in the U.S. . . . Including in the U.S. Obligation of hospitality to the poor and homeless, is core of every major religious and ethical tradition Pre-1980 s US: public investment in affordable housing high, homelessness was rare Polls: three-quarters of Americans believe that adequate housing is a human right American Bar Association, American Public Health Association, lawmakers including Pres. Biden: Housing is a human right
Housing First Applies to All Housing Housing First Applies to All Housing- -Insecure People Insecure People UC San Francisco study, largest in the past 30 years: Homeless persons median income the month before they became unhoused was only $960 U.S. Government Accounting Office: For every $100 in average rent increases, there is a 9 percent spike in homelessness Housing costs explain far more of the difference in rates of homelessness than variables such as substance use disorder, mental health, weather, the strength of the social safety net, poverty, or economic conditions : Pew Charitable Trusts analysis of academic research
Housing First Works Housing First Works From Houston to Helsinki: sharply reduces # of unhoused, cuts government costs Dramatic success w/ veterans: Adam Musters, MSW, 3L President Trump s first HUD secretary (Dr. Ben Carson): we can say without hesitation that we know how to end homelessness
Housing First is Under Threat Housing First is Under Threat From the people who brought you the Critical Race Theory straw men With friends like these . . . Supposed Housing First cities/programs cutting corners and undermining the model Threats from criminalization, etc.: Attorney Siya Hegde, National Homeless Law Center
