Finland cut homelessness by 80 per cent with housing-first policy, Irish conference hears

Finland managed to reduce homelessness by 80 per cent by giving people at risk permanent homes, a conference has been told. Forty years ago Finland had one of the highest number of homeless people in Europe for its size, with 20,000 people living on the streets out of a population of just under five million. The figure is currently at 4,500 (out of a population of 5.65 million), having fallen as low as 3,500 in 2023. Only about 30 per cent of those classified as homeless in Finland are actually living on the streets. Many are living temporarily with friends and family. READ MOREIreland – with 5.5 million people – has a similar population to Finland and currently has 17,500 homeless people. Finland has been looked at as a model of how to reduce long-term homelessness over time. It implemented a “housing first” model from 2008 where those who were homeless or at risk of homelessness were given a permanent home first and then subsequently given the opportunity to address other problems. Finnish ministry of the environment senior specialist Hanna Kettunen told a Simon Communities conference that Finland moved from a temporary model of tackling homelessness to a permanent solution. Previously, homeless people in Finland were given temporary accommodation and often found themselves back on the streets again when those temporary protections were withdrawn. Instead, housing was built with a view to giving homeless people a permanent home. [ Scrapping private practice in public hospitals to cost HSE €140m this year, PAC toldOpens in new window ]“In an ideal situation in Finland, you would be housed quite quickly if there is a vacant apartment suitable for your finances,” Kettunen said.“The tenant selection on state-subsidised apartments is based on your need. If you are homeless, then you are put first on the list.” She said the state sector in Finland has been proactive in building housing for enough people that are affordable irrespective of income. The state accounts for 11 per cent of all the housing stock, with the Helsinki City Housing Company one of the biggest landlords in the country. Housing benefits for people with a low income are tailored to the accommodation that they need.Kettunen said the recent spike in homelessness in Finland, up 20 per cent in a year, is a result of an economic downturn which has led to a decline in construction. The Simon Communities of Ireland has launched its national fundraising campaign by highlighting that two-thirds of adults experiencing homelessness are facing it alone. The campaign is calling for a national commitment to ensure single adults are no longer overlooked in housing policy and homelessness responses. [ Irish Times poll reveals what voters want in Budget 2027Opens in new window ]Speaking at the conference, Minister for Housing James Browne said Ireland had committed, along with other EU states, to ending homelessness by 2030. The Simon Communities of Ireland has called on the Government to fund the full development of the Usher’s Island homeless centre in Dublin which opened in March. The centre has funding for 75 beds, but capacity for 100 if another €3 million in annual funding can be found. Browne said: “I want to see that fully occupied and it needs further funding. The Taoiseach has made direct interventions in relation to getting those additional supports.”