Finland's remarkable success in reducing homelessness is often credited to the innovative Housing First approach. This model offers stable housing as the primary intervention, complemented by essential support services to address the root causes of homelessness and help individuals rebuild their lives. Amid the escalating homelessness crisis in the United States, evidence-backed solutions like Housing First often take a back seat to counterproductive measures like criminalizing poverty and conducting homeless sweeps. While skeptics argue that Finland's achievements cannot be replicated in America, Invisible People embarked on a transformative journey to Helsinki, Finland, to explore the potential of implementing the Housing First approach on a large scale in the United States. What's even more striking is that Housing First was born in America. Yet, Finland has embraced it and witnessed an incredible reduction in homelessness, plummeting from over 20,000 homeless people to less than 4,000 in just a decade.

Countless media outlets have highlighted Finland's achievements in homelessness reduction, with the Housing First model at the forefront. However, our investigation uncovered that the Finnish approach goes beyond Housing First. Finland's strategy involves prioritizing the development of affordable housing and cultivating a culture genuinely dedicated to improving homeless services to house people quickly and permanently. While Housing First has played a significant role in their success, it's just one piece of the puzzle.

Unlike the United States, where the emphasis often lies solely on housing placement, Finland recognizes that people need more than just a roof over their heads to thrive. In Finland, they prioritize placing the individual within the housing unit, ensuring that they have a sense of purpose rather than merely survival.

Invisible People is known for its dedication to telling the authentic stories of homelessness, offering viewers a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the lives of those experiencing it firsthand. In this special episode, we take our commitment to authenticity to the next level by providing the most genuine and comprehensive look into Housing First that has ever been captured on video. Our mission is to shed light on the realities of homelessness, challenge preconceptions, and explore viable solutions. Join us as we dive deep into Finland's remarkable approach, presenting an authentic narrative that showcases the transformative power of compassionate policies and affordable housing.

Special thanks for support in Finland:

Y-Säätiö https://ysaatio.fi
Sininauhasäätiö | Blue Ribbon Foundation https://sininauhasaatio.fi
Salvation Army https://www.pelastusarmeija.fi
No Fixed Abode https://vvary.fi/in-english
City of Helsinki https://www.hel.fi/en
Jan Vapaavuori https://vapaavuori.net/en

Executive producer: Mark Horvath
Producer/editor/cinematographer: Alex Gasaway /    / alexgasaway  

Special thanks:

Diane Yentel and the National Low Income Housing Coalition
Mark Donovan, Founder of the Denver Basic Income Project
Donors who supported our GoFundMe

More stories:

From a Tent to a Home: No Longer Homeless    • From a Tent to a Home: No Longer Home...  

Homeless Veteran Gets an Apartment: HOUSING FIRST WORKS    • Homeless Veteran Gets an Apartment: H...  

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About Invisible People

There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, childhood trauma, lack of a living wage, or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.

Invisible People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about homelessness through innovative storytelling, news, and advocacy. Since our launch in 2008, Invisible People has become a pioneer and trusted resource for inspiring action and raising awareness in support of advocacy, policy change and thoughtful dialogue around poverty in North America and the United Kingdom.