First developed in the US, the initiative known as Housing First, is being adopted increasingly in Europe. Unlike traditional approaches, it doesn’t require individuals to meet certain criteria before receiving housing assistance. The idea is that homeless individuals have a higher chance of creating a brighter future for themselves if they first have a roof over their heads.

Carlos Martínez Carrasco lived rough for several years before a Housing First initiative provided him with a flat on the outskirts of Madrid.

He told Real Economy that the flat has changed his life in every way: “I no longer lack the things that you do when you’re on the street and I can cook. I don’t have to find a way to wash clothes… I can go out with the peace of mind that I have a place to come back to. I am very happy today.”

  • Society always pay for the homeless, regardless if the homeless are given homes or not.

    Don’t give them homes … society gets to pay for more policing, more security, more judicial, more emergency health, more social problems.

    Give them homes … No it doesn’t create a Utopia but with the money saved in less policing, less security, less judicial, less emergency health, the savings are used to pay for a home.

    So go ahead be a right winger or a left winger, no matter how you cut it, we all pay for the homeless no matter what we do. It’s just that one solution is compassionate and one is not.

    If you want to argue the Christian way, than …

    ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

    • Matthew 25:40