Housing First
The 'Housing First' approach to homelessness emphasises securing stable, long-term homes for people along with a range of tailored supports to help them maintain their tenancy.
Housing First in Ireland
Evidence from Ireland and abroad demonstrates that the ‘housing first’ approach is the most effective way to address the needs of people who are long-term homeless and is particularly suited to homeless people who have mental health and/or addiction issues.
This contrasts with traditional approaches that offer emergency, short-term solutions and that emphasise getting people ‘accommodation ready’.
Irish government policy emphasises the need to focus on securing tenancies for individuals who experience chronic or episodic homelessness and in 2021 the new ‘Housing First’ National Implementation Plan 2022-26 was launched, which states:
“Under the plan, an additional 1,319 supported tenancies are to be delivered over the next five years. This will ensure that Housing First continues to operate and expand in every county of Ireland. It will involve an average of 264 new tenancies per annum, with the specific annual targets for each region now set out in the plan. These targets are based on analysis of need, which involved key stakeholders and was supported by the Housing Agency.
The Housing First Programme has already helped more than 600 long-term homeless individuals into their own homes for life, with wrap-around supports available to them to keep them in those homes. It is now operational in every county in Ireland and has exceeded the targets initially set out in the first National Implementation Plan (2018-2021).”
Evidence from Ireland and abroad demonstrates that the ‘housing first’ approach is the most effective way to address the needs of people who are long-term homeless and is particularly suited to homeless people who have mental health and/or addiction issues.
