Finland’s housing-first model points the way

Charleswood

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This article was published 21/02/2024 (772 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

People who live on the street because they don’t have a home is not something that should be happening in Canada —particularly in Manitoba, where sleeping under a bridge when the temperature in -30 C simply isn’t an option. Shelters fill up. And every year government officials seem surprised to see encampments pop up at various locations across the city. There are attempts to implement emergency housing of sorts but these are only temporary measures.

So, how do we solve the problem of homelessness. Finland’s housing-first model may provide some guidance.

In a recent livestream event hosted by Alliance to End Homelessnes.s representatives from Y-Foundation, Finland’s largest non-governmental organization, shared their progress toward ending homelessness. Finland’s Housing First program, which was launched in 2008, provides housing for those experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. The program includes supports for those who need them. Housing first means just that -– you need houses before you can end homelessness. Once people are housed, support services can be added to help them remain housed. Supports are tailor made for whatever is required — mental health or substance abuse counselling, or learning how to cook.

This is considered permanent housing. Tenants sign rental agreements and. since they have social security, some of the money is used to pay their rent and grocery. Housing advisers do everything they can to help the tenants stay in their homes.

The Housing First program cost $390 million to start up and the costs are ongoing. There are upfront costs for those who become landlords so government funding is provided. Politicians must have the political will and money to create the housing units, and governments and municipalities must work together.

The cost is high, but if the program didn’t exist, the costs could be higher due to emergency and related services, the Finnish housing representatives said. Helping people to have a normal life actually saves money, they contend.

Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser, who took part in the event, agreed that investments upfront will save in the long run.“There hasn’t been any investment in non-market housing for more than 30 years,” he said. “The lack of investment in affordable housing has resulted in a housing crisis. Canada needs to build millions of affordable-housing units and supports need to be provided to help the industry do that.”

In 2019, through its national housing strategy, the federal government committed to providing more safe, affordable and inclusive housing.

“To achieve this goal, government must incentivize the housing market so more housing can be built. Single family homes isn’t the answer. Government-funded affordable housing needs to focus on higher density projects,” Fraser said.

In March 2023, the federal government launched the $4 billion Housing Acceleration Fund (over nine years) to make changes to bylaws and regulations that will increase housing construction. The City of Winnipeg received $122 million from the fund to fast track housing construction. The provincial government must also invest in social housing and address the affordability crisis that has resulted from years of high rent increases. Rent regulations need to be strengthened and rent-geared-to-income measures (rent 30 percent of income) must be implemented. To that end, the province must make social housing a priority of its 2024 budget.