Finland Ended Homelessness, Why Can't We?

[Tettsuo]

A Look Into Finland’s Housing First Initiative

The Finnish government—in cooperation with non-governmental organizations, municipalities, and heavy investment in new housing units—turned many hostels into permanent housing. Such efforts were further augmented by providing funds with guidance on housing projects through The Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA).

Additionally, the Housing First Initiative includes the services of scattered-site housing units, where homeless people who have a lower risk rate are able to live in regular apartments scattered throughout the community, rather than in large, centralized shelters. This approach helps to integrate formerly homeless people into the community, as well as reduce the stigma associated with homelessness. Many of these apartment complexes are licensed through the city, and all of the complexes are held to the same standard as non-initiative apartments.

This sounds like a great idea. Get the unhoused, housed, then rehabilitate them. Our current method of ignoring them or getting them into shelters which are inherently dangerous, why not just build small apartments in stable communities? It can be done, but where is the political will to do it in the US? Just complaining about a problem will never solve it, but that seems to be the path the US is choosing.

 

[MAGAnificent]

A Look Into Finland’s Housing First Initiative

This sounds like a great idea. Get the unhoused, housed, then rehabilitate them. Our current method of ignoring them or getting them into shelters which are inherently dangerous, why not just build small apartments in stable communities? It can be done, but where is the political will to do it in the US? Just complaining about a problem will never solve it, but that seems to be the path the US is choosing.

How about we just get the politicians in those blue states where all the tent cities are to just support and pass policies that lead to affordable housing?

 

[trixare4kids]

How about we just get the politicians in those blue states whre all the tent cities are to just support and pass policies that lead to affordable housing?

I don't think landlords/property owners should be punished and prevented from setting their own rents. CA. tried something like this by putting proposition 33 on the ballot and it rightfully failed. The proposition would have allowed the government to have a hand in setting more rent controls.

"Supporters of Prop. 33 included tenant groups, unions, the California Democratic Party and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Yes on 33’s major donor. They said that tenants burdened by the state’s high cost of living need relief now and that rent control is a key strategy to fight homelessness and displacement. And they argued that concerns about chilling the housing market were overblown, comparing them to fears raised by businesses that increasing the minimum wage would lead to mass unemployment."

It failed to pass by 62% of the vote.

Californians vote against rent control as Prop. 33 fails

Prop. 33 is the latest ballot measure where California voters have been asked to weigh in on rent control.

calmatters.org

 

[tshade]

How about we just get the politicians in those blue states whre all the tent cities are to just support and pass policies that lead to affordable housing?

your reply is a classic Trumper distract-discredit & dodge

 

[zincwarrior]

Finland's cheating. If they are homeless for very long they just freeze to death yes?

 

[Tettsuo]

How about we just get the politicians in those blue states where all the tent cities are to just support and pass policies that lead to affordable housing?

Are you implying that red states don't have homeless people? Why not just help all Americans who are homeless?

 

[Tettsuo]

I don't think landlords/property owners should be punished and prevented from setting their own rents. CA. tried something like this by putting proposition 33 on the ballot and it rightfully failed. The proposition would have allowed the government to have a hand in setting more rent controls.

"Supporters of Prop. 33 included tenant groups, unions, the California Democratic Party and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Yes on 33’s major donor. They said that tenants burdened by the state’s high cost of living need relief now and that rent control is a key strategy to fight homelessness and displacement. And they argued that concerns about chilling the housing market were overblown, comparing them to fears raised by businesses that increasing the minimum wage would lead to mass unemployment."

It failed to pass by 62% of the vote.

Californians vote against rent control as Prop. 33 fails

Prop. 33 is the latest ballot measure where California voters have been asked to weigh in on rent control.

calmatters.org

Do you believe Finland can do something the US can't? If so, why?

 

[MAGAnificent]

I don't think landlords/property owners should be punished and prevented from setting their own rents. CA. tried something like this by putting proposition 33 on the ballot and it rightfully failed. The proposition would have allowed the government to have a hand in setting more rent controls.

Californians vote against rent control as Prop. 33 fails

Prop. 33 is the latest ballot measure where California voters have been asked to weigh in on rent control.

calmatters.org

Agreed. Rent control laws simply cause the rental prices to rise as the large conglomerates that own multiple units simply asking the politicians for an increase annually and always get it appoved.Letting market competion works better, however the politicians have to support and pass policies that to not make it so expensivie to build and maintain properties.

 

[MAGAnificent]

your reply is a classic Trumper distract-discredit & dodge

Your post is classic "acute TDS" You bring up Trump when he is not being discussed. The housing crisis was here long before he ran for president or started living rent free in your head.

 

[H. E. Panqui]

It is obvious 'homelessness' is not very high on the priority list of Republicrat shit puppet$ and their/our master$...

It seems to me the stinking, rotten, stooooooooooopid, warmongering, imperialist, etc., policies enabled by Republicrat shit puppet$ have created more planetary homelessness, dislocation etc., than any other cabal of murderous cretins on planet earth..

 

[zincwarrior]

Are you implying that red states don't have homeless people? Why not just help all Americans who are homeless?

There are lots of homeless in ruby red Texas.

 

[tshade]

Your post is classic "acute TDS" You bring up Trump when he is not being discussed. The housing crisis was here long before he ran for president or started living rent free in your head.

You are a Trumper, so it was relevant . You avoid the topic of the post and dodge giving a response for fear of losing the point.....which you did

 

[MAGAnificent]

Are you implying that red states don't have homeless people?

No. Pretty much all states have homeless people at some level. However it is in the states with the most expensive housing costs where the tent cities exist, and those are largely blue states.

Why not just help all Americans who are homeless?

Any fixes should not just be bandaids. We can help those who are homeless due to exorbiant housings costs by addressing those costs. In those blue state, there are middle class working families in many cases living in tent cities. As for helping those who end up homeless due to alcohol or drug abuse, there are 12 step programs and homeless shelters. Or are you going to suggest that we just give all homeless people a free house or apartment?

 

[MAGAnificent]

You are a Trumper, so it was relevant . You avoid the topic of the post and dodge giving a response for fear of losing the point.....which you did

You have acute TDS which is why I cannot take you too seriously. You tend to bring up and bash Trump even when the subject has nothing to do with him.

 

[Argent]

The Finnish government has their shit together in a way ours can only dream about.
The Finnish people trust their government in a way we can only hope to achieve.

 

[dmpi]

A Look Into Finland’s Housing First Initiative

This sounds like a great idea. Get the unhoused, housed, then rehabilitate them. Our current method of ignoring them or getting them into shelters which are inherently dangerous, why not just build small apartments in stable communities? It can be done, but where is the political will to do it in the US? Just complaining about a problem will never solve it, but that seems to be the path the US is choosing.

Haven't we learned anything? No amount of money will solve the homeless crisis because the root problem stems from poor decision making and behaviors. And America being land of the free we're not going to tell anybody what they can or cannot do. There's plenty of counties that have solved the homeless problem. Japan has very few homeless. They solve it by blaming them for their own demise and treating them like shit. In Thailand if they find you homeless they'll put you on a fishing boat, and if you can't perform there, they'll throw you overboard.

 

[Slartibartfast]

How about we just get the politicians in those blue states where all the tent cities are to just support and pass policies that lead to affordable housing?

How about we just learn from a society that is doing something correctly instead of going down whatever pointless rabbit trail you are pointing to?

 

[zincwarrior]

In Thailand if they find you homeless they'll put you on a fishing boat, and if you can't perform there, they'll throw you overboard.

This is not productive. Just because you're dead doesn't mean you can't be useful!

 

[Tettsuo]

No. Pretty much all states have homeless people at some level. However it is in the states with the most expensive housing costs where the tent cities exist, and those are largely blue states.

Any fixes should not just be bandaids. We can help those who are homeless due to exorbiant housings costs by addressing those costs. In those blue state, there are middle class working families in many cases living in tent cities. As for helping those who end up homeless due to alcohol or drug abuse, there are 12 step programs and homeless shelters. Or are you going to suggest that we just give all homeless people a free house or apartment?

According to the article, Finland first provided the homeless a place to live, then they set them on a path towards recovery. With this, I agree. Being homeless is a depressing state to be in. It would be far harder to get people clean if they're in such a state. So yes, give them a warm, healthy environment before attempting to get this clean. Give them reasons not to use drugs first.

 

[trixare4kids]

Do you believe Finland can do something the US can't? If so, why?

Here's just one example, one state out of fifty...
CA. can't seem to manage 187,000 who are currently unhoused, so how would you expect CA. to become more like Finland? We're trying the housing first approach. The problem is, there's not enough housing, homeless shelters that could be converted into housing units. The homeless problem in Finland is minute compared to what the state of CA. and our other states are experiencing.

 

[MAGAnificent]

The Finnish government has their shit together in a way ours can only dream about.
The Finnish people trust their government in a way we can only hope to achieve.

Findland has a population of about 5.6 million. And homelessness only about to .06% of their population. Attempting to compare them to the US and assume their solutions will work in the US is a bit silly.

 

[ttwtt78640]

A Look Into Finland’s Housing First Initiative

This sounds like a great idea. Get the unhoused, housed, then rehabilitate them. Our current method of ignoring them or getting them into shelters which are inherently dangerous, why not just build small apartments in stable communities? It can be done, but where is the political will to do it in the US? Just complaining about a problem will never solve it, but that seems to be the path the US is choosing.

Hmm…. It seems that Finland doesn’t do that by taxing (only) “the rich” at a rather high rate.

€ 60,000 income tax calculator 2024 - Finland - salary after tax

If you make € 60,000 in Finland, what will your income after tax be? The Talent.com Online Salary and Tax Calculator can help you understand your net pay.

fi.talent.com

 

[Tettsuo]

Haven't we learned anything? No amount of money will solve the homeless crisis because the root problem stems from poor decision making and behaviors. And America being land of the free we're not going to tell anybody what they can or cannot do. There's plenty of counties that have solved the homeless problem. Japan has very few homeless. They solve it by blaming them for their own demise and treating them like shit. In Thailand if they find you homeless they'll put you on a fishing boat, and if you can't perform there, they'll throw you overboard.

I can say the same about your viewpoint. It hasn't been helpful for the US to basically let the unhouse rot. Why not try a method that has verifiably worked?

 

[Tettsuo]

Here's just one example, one state out of fifty...
CA. can't seem to manage 187,000 who are currently unhoused, so how would you expect CA. to become more like Finland? We're trying the housing first approach. The problem is, there's not enough housing, homeless shelters that could be converted into housing units. The homeless problem in Finland is minute compared to what the state of CA. and our other states are experiencing.

I don't understand your answer to my question. Do you believe that Finland can do something the US can't?

 

[trumptman]

A Look Into Finland’s Housing First Initiative

This sounds like a great idea. Get the unhoused, housed, then rehabilitate them. Our current method of ignoring them or getting them into shelters which are inherently dangerous, why not just build small apartments in stable communities? It can be done, but where is the political will to do it in the US? Just complaining about a problem will never solve it, but that seems to be the path the US is choosing.

To get the unhoused, housed, you have to be willing to allow the building of housing. Right now with the regulatory burden, that has become far too expensive in blue cities and states. That's the reason people are fleeing to red states.

Secondly you talk about rehabilitating them. The homeless in blue states like California willfully turn down housing because they cannot continue their lifestyle in it. No one is requiring them to be free of problems or fully rehabilitated to be housed but they do require they take steps to show they are making progress away from the lifestyle that led them to be homeless. They can't come and go all hours of the day, use drugs there, have zero responsibilities to make any sort of progress, steal and so on.

Finally the reason many people remain homeless in California is we provide so much OUTSIDE of them being in a home. They basically have all the resources they need while remaining homeless and living as they want. They get free cell phones, free food including EBT which can be used at many fast food places and other types of assistance. When that comes up short many just go steal.

Imagine if instead of giving them a card that gives them free food, they could get the food in the group care situation but they have to keep regular hours, can't be drunk or high while they are there, and finally they help set the tables or clean up afterwards. That wouldn't be undermining the help you're trying to provide. It's a minimal expectation that helps build them back into whole human beings again vs burned out, drugged shells of a human being.