Should We Give Homeless People Homes?
Medicine Hat, a city in Canada, has ended homelessness the ‘housing first’ way
The Inquiry · BBC World Service
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Show Notes
It’s a surprisingly simple idea: to end long-term homelessness, give every person living on the streets a home. It can also be surprisingly effective. Medicine Hat, a city in Canada, recently became the first city to end homelessness in this way. The approach is known as Housing First, and – unlike many other homelessness initiatives – it doesn’t require homeless people to make steps towards solving other issues like alcoholism, mental health problems or drug addiction before they get a home. But is this approach solving the problem, or simply moving it off the streets?
Presenter: Helena Merriman
(Image: A homeless man with his dog outside a building. Credit to Getty)