What Does Housing First Mean?
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by
PHS
Housing First is a flexible philosophy that focuses on meeting clients where they are at, getting them somewhere safe and secure to stay, and then helping address the underlying key issues that left them homeless. It’s not about just getting people housed, the focus is on finding people a home and supporting them with services tailored to their own needs that help them be successful.
Homelessness is a problem that can be solved in a very simple way, by giving people a home. The reasons that someone becomes homeless are totally unique to each person. No two people experience it in the same way. The barriers and challenges that end up contributing to someone ending up homeless will vary from person to person.
Housing First Focuses on People Instead of Processes
Many traditional approaches to addressing homelessness require someone to meet a specific set of standards or goals in order to qualify for getting housed. These approaches often make the assumption that all people who are experiencing homelessness are struggling with the same issues and have the same needs.
The “one-size fits all” approach can reduce the number of people who are successfully able to get housed or even want to participate in the process. The Housing First approach doesn’t preclude anyone from getting help finding a place to live if they need or want it. The person chooses a place to live that is in line with the type of support they need. No one is required to participate in activities or services that are not relevant or part of their goals just to be housed.
When we shift the focus to secure and stable environments before addressing other concerns, we also see more success reaching other goals. The struggles that homelessness creates further barriers to people accessing services that operate within specific hours. When someone is homeless, it is significantly more difficult for them to make support appointments. A person out on the street may not have a safe place to sleep or it may be too cold to sleep. Providing a safe home before attempting to get someone to adhere to a specific schedule creates more opportunities for success.
The Principles of Housing First
This approach has several guiding principles which forms the philosophy and practice among service providers. The key principles include
- Rapid housing with supports – helping people find and secure permanent place to live as quickly as possible.
- Offering clients’ choice in housing – giving people control over what type of services they want to access. It’s also ensuring that the clients feel the place being offered is a good fit for them.
- Separating housing provision from other services – clients are not required to accept any services, including treatment, in order to qualify for support finding a place to live. Clients must be willing to regular visits, often weekly.
- Providing tenancy rights and responsibilities – clients are required to pay a portion of their income towards rent while the remaining is paid with a rent subsidy. Establishing strong landlord-tenant relationships are key.
- Integrating housing into the community – part of reducing stigma as well as encouraging client social integration, the approach gives more attention to scattered-site rentals in the market. Other options such as social or supportive housing is offered, when and where available but it may only be chosen by some clients.
- Strength-based and promoting self-sufficiency – one of the goals is to ensure that clients are able and ready to access supports within a reasonable timeframe to allow for a successful exit to the programming. The focus here is building and strengthening a client’s abilities and skills based on the client’s goals. The end result being the stabilization of a client’s situation that gives a certain amount of self-sufficiency.
Together We Can End Homelessness
Housing First is really all about being flexible and meeting people where they are at. It is an approach that has shown much potential and higher rates of success because of its focus on people and their individual needs. The approach encourages the growth and a healthy community. Get involved today! Together, we can continue to work towards eliminating homelessness in our communities. Consider joining our Community of Landlords or donating to support our programs!
References
Gaetz, S., Scott, F., & Gulliver, T. (2013). Housing First in Canada. Retrieved from Homeless Hub: https://homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/attachments/HousingFirstInCanada_0.pdf
Government of Canada. (2019, 04 25). Housing First. Retrieved from Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/homelessness/resources/housing-first.html
HomelessHub. (2019). Housing First. Retrieved from Homeless Hub: https://www.homelesshub.ca/solutions/housing-accommodation-and-supports/housing-first
NAEH. (2019). What Housing First Really Means. Retrieved from National Alliance to End Homelessness: https://endhomelessness.org/what-housing-first-really-means/
Social Housing In Action. (2019). About Housing First. Retrieved from Social Housing in Action: http://www.bringinglethbridgehome.ca/about-housing-first
