Video: Housing Ready No! Housing First Yes! Source: Homeless and Hungry (FaceBook)
Housing First is not "a program."
It is a way of rethinking homelessness; it is a whole-system approach to addressing the homeless crisis.
As a philosophy, Housing First is based on the simple premise that housing is a human right, and everyone should be housed. It does not matter why a person is homeless, each of us has the inalienable right to have shelter.
Housing First is a very different way of thinking about how to solve homelessness, particularly for those who are chronically homeless and living outside. These folks often have mental health and substance abuse issues. They have been the hardest to get housed and to keep housed. Housing First has proven effective in helping those with the most housing challenges.
It is time for Housing First in the Umpqua Valley.
Housing First is a change in homeless assistance. It is very different from the Housing Ready approach that has been used for decades. Housing Ready is the current way homeless services are provided in Douglas County, and the main challenge with it is sobriety is a requirement to get housed. It has proven to be a failure when trying to house those with the most barriers. Housing First has demonstrated promise as a better way to solve homelessness than the traditional Housing Ready model.
Having housing helps stabilize people so they are more likely to benefit from services that can permanently end their homelessness. Being housed improves the quality of their lives, while making our communities better.
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Data shows Housing First works.
According to The National Alliance to End Homelessness:
"[Housing First] is guided by the belief that people need basic necessities like food and a place to live before attending to anything less critical, such as getting a job, budgeting properly, or attending to substance use issues. Additionally, Housing First is based on the theory that client choice is valuable in housing selection and supportive service participation, and that exercising that choice is likely to make a client more successful in remaining housed and improving their life.” *
According to HUD:
“Housing First is an approach to quickly and successfully connect individuals and families experiencing homelessness to permanent housing without preconditions and barriers to entry, such as sobriety, treatment or service participation requirements. Supportive services are offered to maximize housing stability and prevent returns to homelessness as opposed to addressing predetermined treatment goals prior to permanent housing entry.”
The state of Oregon also supports Housing First. It's new General Assistance (GA) program is based on the Housing First model. Oregon recognizes the importance of housing and provides resources for it for our most vulnerable citizens by providing GA to people who are severely disabled and homeless while the Social Security SSI case is pending.
Although Housing First did not become part of the federal government landscape until early 2000s, the model has been around since around 1990. It was developed as a better way to keep those with mental illness housed.** Many of these folks also had substance abuse issues. Housing First has proven its effectiveness in housing the most challenging people to housed.
Housing First is about housing, but it is also about more. It is about providing permanent affordable housing based on the needs of those who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. This can work for those who are the easiest to house, also.
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