The Inquiry - Should We Give Homeless People Homes?

Should We Give Homeless People Homes?

Download Should We Give Homeless People Homes?

It’s a surprisingly simple idea: to end long-term homelessness, give every person living on the streets a home. It can also be surprisingly effective. Medicine Hat, a city in Canada, recently became the first city to end homelessness in this way. The approach is known as Housing First, and – unlike many other homelessness initiatives – it doesn’t require homeless people to make steps towards solving other issues like alcoholism, mental health problems or drug addiction before they get a home. But is this approach solving the problem, or simply moving it off the streets?

Presenter: Helena Merriman

(Image: A homeless man with his dog outside a building. Credit to Getty)

Published on Thursday, 15th December 2016.

Available Podcasts from The Inquiry

Subscribe to The Inquiry

We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the The Inquiry webpage.