Housing first is a principle, operating model and way of thinking that guides Finnish homelessness work.
The Housing First principle is guided by the idea that housing is a part of human rights and a fundamental human right. In the Housing First model, all work done for people experiencing homelessness is based on the premise that the first support offered to a person is their own apartment.
Most often, the Housing First model is implemented by the state, wellbeing services counties, municipality or city (and within them, for example, social services and/or health care), companies, organizations, real estate companies, property owners and developers. The actors involved in solving homelessness vary depending on how the services are organized in the city.
The Housing First model can be applied either in distributed apartments or in a housing unit. Getting an apartment is not tied to a change in life or receiving services.
Read more about homelessness work in Finland and the Housing First model.