Brent ToderianJul 8, 2023

This is REALLY important.

“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment and counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back into a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.”

Let that sink in. It costs less than accepting homelessness.

#Finland #Helsinki #homeless #cities #homes
https://scoop.me/housing-first-finland-homelessness/

Finland ends homelessness and provides shelter for all in need - scoop.me

In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Why? The country applies the "Housing First" concept agains homelessness.

scoop.me
Show threadNick's worldJul 8, 2023
@lisamelton @BrentToderian The only reason it works is because Finland has a smaller population. In the US, it could never work plus our cultures are very different.
Show threadGrumbleJul 8, 2023

@gocu54 @lisamelton @BrentToderian How land area make a difference here? It's not like there's thousands of unhoused people in the middle of Montana, 100 miles from anywhere. Most of the unhoused are in urban and suburban areas where there's ample housing nearby.

The US has plenty of empty houses. The reason we don't use them is because of paying the owners, not because housing doesn't exist.

As for cultures... sure - it sounds like the Finnish culture values human dignity more than property rights.

Show threadNick's worldJul 8, 2023
@grumble209 @lisamelton @BrentToderian Yeah but its more than just real estate space we're dealing with. You're talking about developing programs that will never be supported in a bipardison way. It's just not happening.
Show threadGrumbleJul 8, 2023

@gocu54 @lisamelton @BrentToderian Ah, so the issues with housing the unhoused in the US aren't related to our geography, or to our culture, but to the ruling plutocrats who set policy for our two major political parties?

Now *that* is an analysis I can agree with.

Show threadNick's worldJul 8, 2023
@grumble209 @lisamelton @BrentToderian Yes, essentially. All they're going to do is make promises and never keep them. That's politicians for you.
Show threadGrumble

@gocu54 @lisamelton @BrentToderian Our bent judges declared in* Citizens United *that money is speech. And if our congress is any indication, money is very compelling speech indeed.

Apparently money is a lot more compelling than unhoused folks freezing to death within miles of empty rooms.

If there's a difference in Finnish versus US culture, it's that most folks in the US seem ok with this situation.

Jul 8, 2023 at 4:46amWeb
Show threadNick's worldJul 8, 2023
@grumble209 @lisamelton @BrentToderian It's not that I'm okay with it personally but doing something tangible about it would be a fruitless war.
Show threadMastomomJul 8, 2023
@gocu54
And yet, some cities are doing something about it. It's true that we aren't likely to get bipartisan support, but that's largely because one faction sees any assistance as a hand out rather than a hand up. Making sure people have housing is a net benefit for a number of reasons, including (and perhaps most dramatically) reductions in healthcare costs.
Show threadNick's worldJul 8, 2023
@robatmo Try telling that to congress. The government is great at taking your money. They absolutely suck at spending it.