Main content

Should We Give Homeless People Homes?

Medicine Hat, a city in Canada, has ended homelessness the ‘housing first’ way.

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)

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Christmas Eve 2016 22:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Tue 20 Dec 2016 02:06GMT
  • Tue 20 Dec 2016 03:06GMT
  • Tue 20 Dec 2016 04:06GMT
  • Tue 20 Dec 2016 05:06GMT
  • Tue 20 Dec 2016 07:06GMT
  • Tue 20 Dec 2016 09:06GMT
  • Tue 20 Dec 2016 15:06GMT
  • Tue 20 Dec 2016 20:06GMT
  • Tue 20 Dec 2016 21:06GMT
  • Christmas Eve 2016 22:06GMT

Podcast