COVER

The development of housing rights

BY ALISA MÜLLER

In the last three decades, various organizations around the world have committed themselves to pushing for the human right to housing. This right is enshrined in Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. A lack of suitable housing also puts many other human rights under threat, for example the right to health and life, the right to participate in society and the right to a family. Strassenkreuzer presents a timeline of how housing rights, and the concept of Housing First, have developed over the years.

1992 It started in New York City

Psychologist Sam Tsemberis founded Pathways to Housing, Inc. This nonprofit organization developed the concept of ‘Housing First’ for homeless people with serious psychiatric illnesses – the basic idea being that they are first provided with a home, and then supportive care as needed. Four years later, 88 percent of participants were still living in their homes.

2005 600 annual participants in Canada

In Toronto, Canada, the project ‘Streets to Homes’ was launched, and after one year, 90 percent of clients were still living in a flat. Around 600 people per year were accommodated in flats in the first three years.

2006 Housing First comes to Europe

The project ‘Discuss Housing First’ was launched in Amsterdam. Participants pay part of the rent and agree to participate in a money management program. According to a 2013 evaluation, the success rate is 97 percent. In 2014, already 14 cities in the Netherlands were offering Housing First.

2007 More time at home

The Alex Health Center in Alberta, Canada, launched a Housing First project. Compared to before, the participants spent 66 percent fewer days in hospital; 38 percent fewer days in emergency rooms and 79 percent fewer days in prison.

2008 From fringe project to nationwide strategy

Beginning with the Vancouver 2008 Winter Olympics, the Canadian government launched the ‘At Home/Chez Soi’ Housing First project in five cities. Researchers demonstrated through a control group that Housing First is more successful than traditional approaches in tackling homelessness. Five years later, Housing First became Canada’s national homelessness policy.

2008 Housing First for people with addictions

The organisation Turning Point in Glasgow, Scotland, is running a Housing First program primarily for people with substance abuse problems. The biggest obstacle in the run-up to launch was a law that forbids landlords from renting apartments to people they know will use drugs in them.

2008 Less long-term homelessness by a third

‘Paavo I’ was launched in Finland, a program that converts homelessness shelters into Housing First services. The aim is to end homelessness in Finland altogether. By 2011, long-term homelessness was reduced by 28 percent.

2009 Success in Portugal

‘Casas Primeiro’, the first Housing First project in Portugal, was launched in Lisbon. The result for the participants: 87 percent fewer emergency room visits, 90 percent fewer psychiatric admissions. Despite these successes, the project had to be scaled down in 2012 due to a lack of public funds.

2009 Over 1000 homes

Denmark named Housing First as core principle for its national homelessness strategy. More than one thousand apartments were made available in 17 municipalities.

2010 658 ways home

A Housing First project called ‘Way- 2Home’ was launched in Sydney, thanks to which 658 people were able to find housing in the city by 2020.

2010 84 percent stable

In Sweden, the first two Housing First projects were launched in Stockholm and Helsingborg. With 84 percent of participants remaining stable residents, the project is still a permanent part of the social housing program. Five years later, 14 municipalities across the country were offering Housing First.

2011 15,000 euros in savings

In France, a Housing First project called ‘Un Chez-Soi d’abord’ (‘A Home First’) was launched in four cities, including Paris. A two-year study was carried out alongside the project – the only large-scale clinical randomized study in Europe. After four years, 85 percent of the participants were living in their own apartments. It is estimated that the state incurs about 15,000 euros less costs per participant annually than in traditional care programs.

2011 312 of 335 people stay

The two-year model project ‘Housing First Europe’ was launched, funded by the EU and supervised by a research team. The five test cities are Amsterdam, Budapest, Copenhagen, Glasgow and Lisbon. Clients received visits at least once a week. After two years, only 23 out of 335 people dropped out of the program, among other reasons because of relapse into homelessness or imprisonment.

2012 15,951 square metre home

In Vienna, the welfare organization neunerhaus started a Housing First initiative. In 2017, the subsidiary neunerimmo was founded to acquire flats and support landlords. 341 flats were located in 2021 alone, equalling a total of 15,951 square metres of living space.

2012 More support

In Finland, the follow-up program ‘Paavo II’ was launched, focusing on housing advice and mobile support. Housing First services are a central part of Finland’s nationwide strategy to end homelessness.

2013 141 participants in Belgium

In Belgium, a three-year trial of Housing First was launched in eight cities with 141 participants. After a trial period, the project was rated very positively in terms of efficiency and effectiveness and was continued at all locations.

2014 Tripled in three years

As early as 2011, Housing First was explicitly named as the national strategy against homelessness in Ireland. However, it took until 2014 for a Housing First program with 100 spots to be implemented in Dublin. By 2017, it had expanded to 300 participants.

2014 38 opportunities in Spain

The ‘Hábitat Housing First’ project created 38 Housing First spots in three major Spanish cities. In addition to people with mental illnesses and addiction problems, people with debilitating illnesses or disabilities are also admitted.

2015 Family first

In Bologna, Italy, the ‘Tutti a Casa Famiglie’ project has enabled 42 families to move into in Housing First housing. These families do not have to spend more than 30 percent of their monthly income on rent.

2016 15 apartments in Gießen

In Gießen, Germany, the Housing First project ‘ZuHAuSE’ was launched. So far, 15 people have been placed in homes. The project is funded by the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD).

2017 Art for homes

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the Housing First Fund is launched, a cooperation between the welfare association Deutscher Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband and the Düsseldorf organisation for helping homeless people, fiftyfifty/Asphalt eV. The fund facilitates the purchase and conversion of Housing First apartments. So far, 22 homeless organizations have received money from it. The money comes from the sale of donated works of art by the well-known painter Gerhard Richter and other art donations.

2017 One house, 12 apartments

The street paper Hempels in Schleswig-Holstein launched the project ‘Hempels hilft wohnen’ (‘Hempels helps with housing’). The project funds the purchase of a block of apartments containing 12 units which will be rented out as Housing First apartments. An additional building on the same property is in the works.

2018 A home in Hanover

The foundation Ein Zuhause (‘A home’) was founded in Hanover. It supports the construction of a house with 15 apartments on a leasehold property owned by the city of Hanover for Housing First clients.

2018 391 rejections in two years

The three-year model project ‘Housing First Berlin’ was launched. After two years,

425 households have applied to the project, but only 34 have been accepted. More than 70 percent of the applicants who had to be turned down because of a lack of available housing met all the criteria for admission.

2018 Seven more than planned

In Berlin, the project ‘Housing First für Frauen’ (‘Housing First for women’) was started by the Catholic Women’s Social Service. The goal of having 30 women in their own homes by 2021 has already been exceeded: in May 2021, 37 women were already living in flats arranged through the project.

2019 Recommendation: More Housing First

A Europe-wide study with over 500 participants from seven countries (France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden) was published. It proves that participants in Housing First programs experience homelessness services more positively in terms of choice, quality of life, and satisfaction than participants in traditional programs. The researchers recommend expanding Housing First initiatives.

2020 Eight apartments, no more in sight

A Housing First project was starting in Basel, Switzerland, overseen by the Salvation Army. By the beginning of 2021, eight people have been placed, but there is a lack of available living space for new clients.

2021 25 choices

The model project ‘Eigene Wohnung’ (‘Own Apartment’) was started in Leipzig, Germany. Initially, 35 apartments were available for 25 participants, so that everyone was able to choose from several apartments. A total of 1.2 million euros are budgeted for the project until 2024, and continued support for the participants is ensured, should the project be discontinued.

Translated from German by Lisa Strausz

Courtesy of Strassenkreuzer / International Network of Street Papers