15 Facts About Housing First

Housing First is a policy that offers unconditional, permanent housing as quickly as possible to homeless people, and other supportive services afterward.

Housing First is an approach that offers permanent, affordable housing as quickly as possible for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, and then provides the supportive services and connections to the community-based supports people need to keep their housing and avoid returning to homelessness.

Formal Housing First Model has its origins in "Supported Housing" implemented in North America during the 1990s.

Housing First offered rapid access to a settled home in the community, combined with mobile support services that visited people in their own homes.

Housing First was not removed from someone if their drug or alcohol use did not stop, or if they refused to comply with treatment.

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Housing First for the chronically homeless is premised on the notion that housing is a basic human right, and so should not be denied to anyone, even if they are abusing alcohol or other substances.

Housing First, when supported by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, does not only provide housing.

Housing First, as pioneered by Pathways to Housing, targets individuals with disabilities.

Housing First Model is executed through either a scattered-site or project-based implementation.

Housing First is currently endorsed by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness as a "best practice" for governments and service-agencies to use in their fight to end chronic homelessness in America.

In September 2010, it was reported that the Housing First Initiative had significantly reduced the chronic homeless single person population in Boston, Massachusetts, although homeless families were still increasing in number.

On May 20,2009, President Obama signed the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing First Act into Public Law, reauthorizing HUD's Homeless Assistance programs.

Fortune reported that the Housing First approach resulted in a 66 percent decline in days hospitalized, a 38 percent decline in times in emergency room, a 41 percent decline in EMS events, a 79 percent decline in days in jail and a 30 percent decline in police interactions.

In Denmark, Housing First is embedded in the national Homeless Strategy as the overall strategy.

Housing First has been criticized on its failure to address broader service outcomes, namely substance abuse.