Improved Plans to Solve Homelessness Across the World
- Tiffany Connolly
- Jun 30, 2017
- 3 min read
Introducing Housing First to Street Homelessness in Spain
Four people who had been experiencing homelessness for at least eight years in Asturias, a community in Spain, became the first to benefit from the launch of the housing first model in their community. In December 2016, these four people received a permanent home. Since then, they have maintained that home and benefited greatly from it. Today, 33,000 people experience street homelessness in Spain. According to the director of the northern zone for RAIS Fundación, Alejandra Puente, the organization has provided 68 people with a home through their Habitat program, launched two years ago.
Read the full article here. (This article's original text is in Spanish)
Oakland, California's Improved Plan to Solve Homelessness
California, has plans to increase their proposed budget and improve services to tackle homelessness in the immediate and long-term. Homelessness and housing insecurity have been the city’s most pressing issues. Their proposed two-year budget includes an investment of $185 million to cater to the issue. In addition to working to transition people experiencing street homelessness into supportive and permanent housing, the city plans to improve encampment cleanups and provide on-site health and hygiene services. They also have plans to expand incentives to encourage landlord participation. The Henry Robinson House in Oakland has transitioned over 80 percent of their residents into permanent housing. Read the full article here.
Japan Will Extend Homelessness Support Law
Japan's Homeless Independent Support Law was scheduled to expire in August of this year. However, due to the state of homelessness in the country, the law has been revised and thus, will be extended for ten more years. In Japan, there are approximately 6,235 people experiencing street homelessness. Although this is a large number, the rate of street homelessness in Japan has been decreasing over the past 14 years, with approximately 25,296 people experiencing homelessness in 2003. Japan's housing policy needs much improvement in order to secure that everyone has a place to live.
Read the full article here. (This article's original text is in Japanese)
Shelter Plan for People Experiencing Street Homelessness in Quezon, Philippines
With help from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Quezon city government's Housing, Community Development and Resettlement Department (HCDRD) is formulating a plan to assist people experiencing street homelessness across the city. The program underway will assist people in purchasing and developing land under community ownership. The DSWD has already subsidized the rent for about 555 people experiencing homelessness - or street dwellers - in Quezon. Thus, the city's HCDRD will craft proposals to be submitted to the DSWD for review and, if feasible, will partner with the department as well as other homelessness organizations. According to head assistant of the city's HCDRD, Mayor Herbert Bautista of Quezon's plan will be implemented over the next five years.
Read the full article here.
How Vienna, Austria Solved Homelessness
Joe Copeland from Seattle, USA explores what North America might learn about housing policy from cities like Vienna. The federal government covers over 50 percent of about $700 million a year spent in Austria on social housing. This social housing includes the subsidized units that house approximately 60 percent of Vienna’s population. In addition, the city owns land where it can develop housing facilities for people in need of a home. Copeland notes that the recent Museum of Vancouver exhibit "The Vienna Model: Housing for the 21st Century" garnered considerable attention exploring similar themes.
Read the full article here.
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