Housing First and the Paradigm Shift to Address Homelessness

At a glance, it might make sense for it to be harder to find housing as the world becomes more crowded. However, homelessness is a systemic issue that goes beyond the surging population. Despite the complexity of the issue, the Housing First framework offers an option to tackle homelessness using the simplest path: What if we give them a home?

Understanding Homelessness

Everyone has the right to housing. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights safeguards this right as a part of their health and wellbeing. However, according to UN-Habitat, roughly 1.8 billion people worldwide still lack adequate housing, and 150 million are homeless.

Homelessness is generally defined as a lack of fixed and regular residences. It is a persistent problem tied closely to poverty. The condition can be categorized into three broad, temporal groups:

Transient, usually make up around 80% of those using a shelter and are caused by sudden life disruptions such as loss of employment or significant medical expenses.
Episodic, usually make up 10% of all shelter users and have stayed in the shelters multiple times, albeit briefly.
Chronic, usually make up 10% of all shelter users and are often caused by significant medical issues, disabilities, or unique service needs.

Although the crisis has often been reduced to an individual’s inability to purchase or rent a house, the causes of homelessness run deeper and more complex than that. Addressing homelessness requires us to move beyond attributing its cause solely to a personal failure. It is a result of multiple compounding factors, including population rise, urbanization, poor urban planning and management, and the rise of living cost.

In the United States, for instance, the modern era of homelessness began to rise in the 1980s as the country experienced a severe economic recession. Inflation, a lack of funding for the government’s social service programs, and an inadequate supply of affordable housing contribute to the problem.

Meanwhile, conflicts and climate-induced natural disasters exacerbate the issue. They have destroyed houses and resulted in millions of displaced people globally without anywhere to call home.

What Is Housing First?

Housing First is an approach that prioritizes offering permanent and affordable housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. It is then followed by providing the support necessary for people to improve their lives, keep their housing, and avoid returning to the streets.

This alternative approach differs from other homelessness aid programs. The treatment-first model requires people experiencing homelessness to address all their issues before obtaining housing. Then, this conditional approach will provide housing often based on certain levels of ‘readiness’ and gradually move people through it, such as from public shelter to transitional housing, and eventually, to their own apartment.

“You can’t really talk about the treatment unless the person is housed; otherwise, the whole conversation is only about survival,” said Sam Tsemberis. Tsemberis and his colleagues first tested the Housing First approach in 1992, giving homeless people access to scattered-site housing and assertive community treatment without prerequisites.

Housing First is a shift in paradigm. Instead of having treatments be a precondition to ‘earn’ safe shelter, stable accommodation is seen as a precondition to the success of other treatments that can turn people’s lives around. At its core, Housing First is a rights-based framework that aims to help people find stability and improve their lives through a comprehensive support system in healthcare, education, family, children, employment, and social welfare.

Evidence and Implementation

Globally, several cities and countries have adopted Housing First principles and reaped substantial benefits. Evidence suggests that this program significantly benefits individuals and families with intersecting vulnerabilities, such as those with mental health issues, domestic violence survivors, and chronic medical conditions. Besides reduced homelessness, cities also save costs from reduced use of public services like hospitals, shelters, and jails.

In 2019, Finland saw over 35% fall in the number of homeless people since the implementation of Housing First principles in 2008. Additionally, analysis found that the city of Tampere in Finland saved almost 250,000 euros in one year due to the program’s adoption.

Vienna, Helsinki, and Medicine Hat are among cities in Europe and North America with Housing First policies. In South America, Brazil began implementing the Citizen Housing program based on Housing First Principles in 2024. Meanwhile, in Asia, Japan’s homeless support groups have requested the government to adopt the program.

Tailored to local contexts, national and municipal governments should consider the Housing First framework with its strong potential to effectively tackle homelessness. Ultimately, centering human rights in our approach to address the world’s wicked problems is essential to create a shared prosperous future where no one is left behind.

Kresentia Madina

Reporter at Green Network Asia | Website | + posts

Madina is the Assistant Manager for Digital Publications at Green Network Asia. She graduated from Universitas Indonesia with a bachelor's degree in English Literature. She has three years of professional experience working on GNA international digital publications, programs, and partnerships particularly on social and cultural issues.

Nazalea Kusuma

Managing Editor at Green Network Asia | Website | + posts

Naz is the Manager of International Digital Publications at Green Network Asia. She is an experienced and passionate writer, editor, proofreader, translator, and creative designer with over a decade of portfolio. Her history of living in multiple areas across Southeast Asia and studying Urban and Regional Planning exposed her to diverse peoples and cultures, enriching her perspectives and sharpening her intersectionality mindset in her storytelling and advocacy on sustainability-related issues and sustainable development.