How Finland Found A Solution To Homelessness

I am in Oregon, USA. I was homeless and my cousin took me in and gave me a spot to park my old camper. Then he helped me find a better rig. Then his brother gave me a "permanent" spot to park and minimal electricity. I was able to get the rest I needed and a safe place from which to jump back into society. I am now a school bus driver which I love. I am getting stronger and healing from long-term disabilities. I love my life now!!!

I was homeless, got into drug's went to prison and then I got to know Jesus and he changed my life...Heaven came through for me in my finances too, getting $50,000 in 2months . I can support God's work and give back to my community. God is absolutely more than enough! Now I have a new identity and a child of God

Greetings from 🇫🇮 I work with this homelessness program and I want to say that when a person finally gets that little home of his own, he doesn't want to lose it, which contributes to rehabilitation. They go to rehab, rehabilitative work, go to school and even get a job. I'm really proud of them. They take life into their own hands again.

I'm not homeless but Finland sounds like a very nice place to live if this is their attitude, helping people rather than treating them like dirt.

Pscyhologist Abraham Maslow said you can't work on higher level goals in your life when you are using all of your time and energy just trying to get basic needs like food and water met. The Finnish system makes good sense, and every country should use this model.

Who knew giving people houses and supporting them meaningfully reduces homelessness

Housing first is safety first. The stress of living moment to moment in survival mode is unbelievable. In addition to the practical obstacles that come with not having a fixed address.

I lost my job and the next day the guy I was renting a room from (no kitchen, just a room and a bathroom) told me he needed the room back. I called California state for assistance and the woman on the phone belittled me for not being able to find another place to live. It was difficult to get a hold of a real person and when I did the first time, they hung up on me when I asked a question. I got the hell out of that State and moved to Washington state because I have family that was willing to help me. I'm still struggling but if it weren't for family and the small amount of SNAP i get from the state, I would also be on the streets. Hats off to you Finland for taking care of citizens when they fall on hard times. THAT is what a government should be doing.

I WAS a homeless person In New orleans USA, but the unity program which has a "housing 1rst" program, was successful in getting me back in society. It works!

I was homeless for 15 years. Only when an old friend gave me a camper and a spot to keep it on - then I was able to get everything else in order. Btw, thanks Paul.

There is a similar program in Utah. They figured out that it was cheaper to house the homeless than to incarcerate them (which is what they were doing previously). It really works!

This makes a good point. A lot of homeless crazies and drug addicts are schizophrenic. The thing a schizophrenic needs most in order to get better is stability. A warm dry place to sleep that you won't get kicked out of is the most important part of stability.

I’m Australian and I’ve noticed here the number of empty office buildings and have thought for years that they could be made into homes for the homeless with social workers on the ground floors a teaching kitchen to help with nutrition and basic cooking cooking for adults, various teachers who could teach about finances and banking, government letters etc all the things that we should know but don’t.

Something needs to be done in the USA that is for sure. I have never seen so many homeless in my life and never thought it could ever get so bad. Unfortunately having a roof over your head in the USA is starting to be a luxury even for people who work, don't have drug or mental problems.

I work with homeless individuals often as an attorney. The answer has always been in the name of the issue - it has been and will always be about housing. If we look at homelessness as a medical issue, housing would be the treatment. Homelessness brings with it many other issues such as addiction, mental health issues and crime, but these are also symptoms of the issue - when people don't have a place to feel safe and are hungry and cold, we do what we have to to try and survive another day - it may be drugs as an escape, prolonged exposure to extreme stress causes mental health issues in the best of us, and if you can steal something and sell it you can buy food and drugs. Providing permanent, supportive housing allows people to feel safe so that they can focus on the things they couldn't. Housing First isn't new, it's modern focus originated in a study in NYC decades ago. It is expensive, but studies show it is less expensive to house people than jailing them for public camping, or having them in ERs to warm up, cool off, or after an OD.

I've lived in Finland for years as an expat student. I can definitely confirm that I never saw a single homeless person and have been all over Finland from Lapland all the way down to Helsinki.

Yup this works! This is how I got out of the homeless life. I was given a room and a bed and help when I needed it, how I needed it and always had people I could trust to talk to when I felt I was struggling and I WANTED to be better. Human beings want to make ourselves stronger and happier. It's built into us. I was given the opportunity to feel safety around me and I was able to address my needs without bias or being afraid the floor would fall out under me. This was in Washington State USA. People need stability and true safety to grow

I was homeless for years. I couldn't stop doing drugs. I didn't want to live. I got an apartment through government housing and I immediately stopped doing drugs. I smoke pot but it's legal here in Arizona. My life has improved incredibly. I have started making YouTube videos, singing and playing the guitar again, and I get to decorate it however I want. It's my sanctuary. For years I went in and out of rehabs, mental hospitals, halfway houses, and sleeping on the ground. And the other thing is the government is spending WAY less money on me because I'm not constantly in detox and rehab on their dime. Great video topic! Finland looks amazing.

I’m an educator and have also done research on best practices around the world and Finland has also use amazing ingenuity to be a leader in student success and literacy. Maybe I’ll move to Finland someday.

I was homeless for years. My parent didn't do a great job at raising me or teaching me necessary skills to survive on my own. I loved my parents and they did the best they could. Getting off the streets is much harder than people think. Its not as simple as get a job and get a home. It takes time and help, perseverance, dedication, and much harder work to stay focused. I was never addicted to drugs, and have no debilitating mental health issues. I couldn't imagine trying to get off the streets like i eventually did with those two things being the main obstacles to overcome. People think when you beat your addiction then everything will be fine. Nope. Its harder to stay clean than it is to make the decision to get clean. Plus remember that once you're off the streets 9 x out of 10 you're still very poor. Poverty can cause or exacerbate depression, feelings of low self worth and low self esteem, which can lead back to drug use. Try getting up every morning after sleeping in an alleyway to go to a job that you need but dont like, knowing that you haven't showered in days because you dont have a shower and have no money(or very little)to feed yourself. Or if you live in your car the majority of your money goes to fast food/expensive prepared food, gas, car insurance, laundry, any car repairs that pop up, phone bill, and any other expenses that you have to be able to work while living in your car. Its nowhere near as simple as people think. And like drug addiction, getting off the streets can be done but staying off the streets is the real challenge. All it takes is a late paycheck the makes you miss your rent or pay it too late and you can be evicted pretty quick, not to mention that most housing for the poor may be cheap to some but is expensive to a low wage non skilled worker fresh off the streets. Drug addiction and mental health are only two of the reasons why someone can become homeless. Disasters, financial upheaval, cost of housing too high, not enough good paying jobs and affordable schooling/training, bankruptcy, foreclosures, sexual/physical abuse, trauma, layoffs, aging out of the workforce, never being taught the necessary skills to survive, tragedy, stunted growth, and a ton of other things that happen to people all the time of all walks of life can lead to homelessness.