Future Directions for Finnish Homelessness Policy:FROM A SWEDISH PERSPECTIVE

MARCUS KNUTAGÅRD

Overview

• Comparing the Finnish homelessness strategy from a Swedish perspective

• Housing policy

• Preventing evictions, overleveraged, housing market

• Housing First in Sweden

• Scattered site and work opportunities

• The problem with categorization

The Swedish Homeless Strategy

• 1. Everyone should be guaranteed a roof over their heads and offered continued coordinated interventions based on individual needs.

• 2. The number of women and men who are prisoners or enrolled in a correctional institution, treatment unit, supported housing or nursing homes for care or accommodation (HVB) and have not arranged accommodation prior to discharge should decrease.

Continued

• 3. Admission to the regular housing market should be facilitated for women and men who live in training flats or other forms of accommodation provided by the social services or other agents.

• 4. The number of evictions shall be reduced and no child should be evicted.

The Core

• scattered-site housing; independent apartments

• separation of housing and services

• harm reduction

Municipalities

• Stockholm

• Helsingborg

• Malmö

• Göteborg

• Karlstad

• Örebro

• …

Results 1

• Gratitude

• Autonomy, dignity

• Rehabilitation, security

• social inclusion

• social structure

• Motivation for receiving support

Results 2

• Less abuse

• Better relationships with their children

• new social relationships

• better economy

• Improved job opportunities

The Finnish strategy

• Ambitious program

• Focus on the construction of housing

• Measurable goals

• Congregate housing a prerequisite for success in Finland

• The status of the first entry low threshold housing

Challenges

• National/local

• Scattered site vs congregate

• Requiring one or more steps before Housing Ready, is not Housing First

• Prioritizing different categories

• Understanding different needs for different groups

• Service user influence

Thanks for your time

Marcus Knutagård

Marcus.knutagard@soch.lu.se

School of Social Work, Lund University

www.soch.lu.se