12 lines
1 KiB
Markdown
12 lines
1 KiB
Markdown
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# Policy
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## 'It’s a miracle': Helsinki's radical solution to homelessness
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Finland is the only EU country where homelessness is falling. Its secret? Giving people homes as soon as they need them – unconditionally
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<https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jun/03/its-a-miracle-helsinkis-radical-solution-to-homelessness>
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> “We had to get rid of the night shelters and short-term hostels we still had back then. They had a very long history in Finland, and everyone could see they were not getting people out of homelessness. We decided to reverse the assumptions.”
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> As in many countries, homelessness in Finland had long been tackled using a staircase model: you were supposed to move through different stages of temporary accommodation as you got your life back on track, with an apartment as the ultimate reward.
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> “We decided to make the housing unconditional,” says Kaakinen. “To say, look, you don’t need to solve your problems before you get a home. Instead, a home should be the secure foundation that makes it easier to solve your problems.”
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