Posted on 03/25/2024 4:59:14 AM PDT by Cronos
he two countries that handle homelessness the best are Finland and Japan. Therefore, we will look at how these two countries have approached homelessness to determine exactly which country handles homelessness best.
Firstly, let's talk about the extent of the situation within each country. In our previous article on which country has the lowest rate of homelessness, Japan was determined as the country with the smallest percentage of people experiencing homelessness in the world, with a rate of 0.003%, which is approximately 1 in every 34,000 people.
Finland was determined to have the 10th lowest rate of homelessness in Europe, with a rate of homelessness at 0.08% on a given night, which is 1 in every 3,925 people. If this is the case, why is Finland placed next to Japan? This is because of how Finland has handled homelessness over the past 30 years.
Statistics on homelessness in Finland show that in 1989 there were roughly 16,000 people experiencing homelessness. Since then, that number has steadily declined to approximately 4,000 people in 2020. This is effectively a 75% decrease in homelessness over 30 years. Finland is also the only EU country that has experienced any decline in the number of homeless reported in the last 10 years.
Firstly, Finland's definition of homelessness is extensive. It includes people who are temporarily staying with friends or family, which is not common among other nations' homelessness statistics.
This brings Finland's low numbers into context but also gives a greater degree of reliability to the interventions they have created – by ensuring the problem is correctly understood. As a result, they would be able to address it most effectively.
Secondly, this success results from innovative solutions and a strategy that has been provided with the necessary resources and driven by the Housing First approach.
The housing first principle, policy or approach, is an ideology originally coined by a Canadian Psychologist named Sam Tsemberis, who proposed that the best way to eradicate homelessness was to give people homes. The notion was approached with scepticism at first and it was argued that more complex contributory factors such as mental health or substance abuse need to be solved first.
Finland, however, sees housing as a fundamental human right that needs to be extended to every homeless person. In 2008, the Finnish government committed to the Housing First policy as part of a drive to end homelessness.
Put simply, the Housing First model is a means to give a person experiencing homelessness a home, a rental or a flat with a contract without any conditions. These people are not required to get a job first, get sober, or make any lifestyle changes - housing is provided first.
The notion goes that once people have permanent housing; they will be able to seek the help they require to improve their lives.
This approach has successfully reduced the number of people experiencing homelessness. Government-partnered nonprofit organisations, such as The Y-Foundation, are integral in making this success. The Y-Foundation CEO, Juha Kaakinen, predicts that this approach will eradicate homelessness by 2027.
Japan is another country that is leading the charge to tackle homelessness. With a 12% drop in homelessness since 2018, Japan's population of people experiencing homelessness is roughly 3,992 people out of a population of 125 million.
Japan's approach is significantly different from Finland's: Japan makes it difficult to be homeless. For example, it is an official law that begging is not allowed and may be deemed a criminal offence. Homeless people are faced with the social prejudice that the cause of one's homelessness is one's responsibility.
Furthermore, the urban architecture of many cities is often designed to prevent people experiencing homelessness from sitting or sleeping on the streets.
Organisations such as the Tsukuroi Tokyo Fund have been making efforts to reduce the current state of homelessness by providing housing and employment to the people experiencing homelessness in Japan, as well as increasing the number of shelters available. Furthermore, they have made an array of social services and support services available to those experiencing homelessness to assist them in the transition to living independently.
The actual state of Japan's homelessness situation has been under scrutiny. However, the invisibility of the homeless, perpetuated by Japan's culture of social etiquette, has led to many of the homeless trying not to be noticed, out of shame, finding their temporary housing off the streets in areas more out of sight.
Furthermore, it has been suggested that the Japanese Government's count of those experiencing homelessness does not consider Japan's "internet café refugees". This term has become a common way of describing those who spend their nights in 24-hour restaurants or internet cafés, often utilising the privacy of booths, showers and laundry services.
In both of these countries, it is clear that two major factors need to be involved to effectively combat homelessness: Governmental strategy and NGO cooperation.
Consequently, the UK, and most of Europe, could take specific note of Finland's approach. The fundamental human rights ideology of housing, the longitudinal governmental strategy towards a solution, the allocation of necessary funds, and the cooperation across multiple levels of society are all required to create a sustainable and effective intervention. Moreover, the effectiveness of this approach is undoubted when considering the notable decline in Finland's population of those experiencing homelessness.
In conclusion, while it may not have the smallest homeless population or the lowest rate of homelessness in the world, Finland is the country that handles homelessness the best. With a marked decrease in homeless statistics and a trajectory towards eradicating homelessness by 2027, Finland's approach is sustainable and effective.
Build cheap housing and they will come. Then what?
The author doesn’t mention two of the biggest factors that work in favor of these two countries when it comes to dealing with homelessness: (1) their populations are very homogenized, and (2) there is a cultural aversion to many social pathologies and uncivilized behavior.
Japan has a lot of homeless. They just don’t report or INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH want to be a weight on the social system.
I used to buy dinners for the homeless in Japan and would spend time with them. A lot of them are homeless because they lost their job, which means they’re unhireable because you’re supposed to stick with one job throughout your whole life. One fellow I spent time with lived under a bridge in Osaka and lost his job. His wife left him with the kids, and locals would give him food and drink.
Also, the homeless in Japan are very industrious. In Kyoto, they build wooden apartments under bridges. Little 10x10 ft boxes, some with generators outside, and they’d be watching TV or such inside. Also, drugs etc. aren’t a problem in Japan, so you don’t have the irrational behavior that comes with that.
I’d think Finland’s territory and incidents of homelessness could work very well to sort out the problems.
If the Finns encounter a homeless person, they can drive them up into the wilderness and drop them off next to an empty shack. The shacks can be well stocked... or not... not my problem. But they’re now no longer homeless, they are living a rugged off-grid wilderness lifestyle.
Maybe because these countries don’t have 10’s of millions of illegals soaking up all the jobs and absorbing all the low income housing options?
Two words: Cabrini green (for those that don’t know, Google it.).
I’m inclined to believing nothing is a human right if someone else is compelled to pay for it. I therefore prefer the Japanese alternative.
Let’s not forget to factor demographics into the equation
A huge advantage for both Japan and Finland is that they have homogeneous populations. I e. they are not really multicultural the way we we’re pushing it everywhere else.
Oops. You beat me to it.
THe socialists wopuld never give freedom to the homeless. They want them tied tu the nanny state in perpetuity.
THe thread article does not deal with the mentaly ill or drug addiction aspect where people’s ability to stabilize themselves is almost impossible. Finland and Japan may not have these as a problem beacuase they do not have drug cartels, large populations of veterans with PTSD related issues, nor extra national organized crime from China, Russia, or Muslim nations.
America needs to be disciplined about solving homelessness.
They forst need to shut down the drug supply from China and SOuth America.They also need to house veterans who are on the street.Also there has to be a return to providing institutional homes for the mentally ill and drug addicts with therapy.
BUt the socialists do not want to solve the problems, they want to perpetuate them and keep the associated money trains delivery pork into their pockets.
Not surprisingly, it reduced the number of people on the street.
true
Well, that stupid article didn’t actually say or reveal anything at all.
Amen, and don’t forget the taxpayers have to supply the heat water and electricity in perpetuity. BUT! they’re not HOMELESS.
Americans have provided the world some useful experimentation, proving that emptying mental institutions onto the streets and protecting the right to panhandle, use drugs and poop on the streets doesn’t create good results.
I think that “most” cities in the US provide a “shelter” of some sort that is available to homeless people. Thus, in my opinion, if you don’t use that shelter (food and a safe place to sleep), you should be given a ticket (fine) and if you don’t show up in court you get arrested just like all other misdemeanor violations. If you don’t have an ID, or refuse to provide one, then you should be arrested on the spot until your ID is determined.
If you keep getting arrested, you likely are mentally ill and should undergo testing. If you are found to be mentally ill, you should go to a state run mental facility.
In no event whatsoever should you be allowed to stay on the street. Liberals love “the “visible” problem” of homelessness so they can bitch and whine which makes them “feel good”.
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