The aim of the Housing First principle and operating model is to reduce long-term homelessness, particularly among people facing complex social and health challenges that make it difficult to maintain housing. Migrants are often among those affected. At the end of 2024 Finland counted 3 806 people without homes, with migrants comprising 21% of this population. The true number of homeless migrants is likely higher, as people without legal status are not included in official statistics. Housing First is especially effective for individuals with overlapping challenges, as it aims to provide housing without requiring these issues to be resolved first.
Who benefits:
People in Finland who are homeless, many of whom are migrants.
How it works:
The model is based on the premise that homelessness is best addressed by providing housing first and tackling underlying issues afterward. This differs from earlier approaches in Finland and elsewhere, which required individuals to resolve problems such as substance abuse before becoming eligible for housing. The model is supported by housing counselling, which helps address housing problems early, and it operates in cooperation with Finland’s social welfare system.
Results
Overall, Finland has successfully reduced homelessness through the Housing First model. By 2023, overall homelessness had declined for 11 consecutive years, and between 2008 and 2019 it fell by a significant 40%.
In 2015 the number of migrants in Finland increased substantially due to large numbers of new arrivals, with the group representing 27% of all single homeless people. From 2016 onwards, the national programme for preventing homelessness (AUNE), following the Housing First model, placed specific emphasis on supporting migrants and as a result their number declined, representing 21% of the homeless population by 2024.
Evaluation:
The programme was previously evaluated by 3 internationally-recognised researchers. They concluded that the main goal of the programme – reducing long-term homelessness at the national level – was achieved through a well-planned and comprehensive cooperation strategy and identified the wider lack of affordable rental housing, particularly in the Helsinki metropolitan area, as a key challenge. The evaluation results have been used to inform the development of subsequent programmes under the Housing First model.
Reports on previous programmes suggest that the Housing First model is effective for this group only when it is accompanied by measures that address immigrants’ specific circumstances and by targeted projects and interventions that support their access to housing. Reducing homelessness among immigrants has therefore been a particular priority in the 2019–2023 Government Programme,, and the 2024 figures indicate that this focus has been successful.
Funding and resources:
The programme’s main sources of funding have been the programme cities, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (STM), the Ministry of the Environment (YM), the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA), and the Finnish Slot Machine Association (RAY).