Housing First is the basic idea that everyone is ready for housing regardless of the complexity or the severity of their needs. Most importantly, it is more than a project or program model, it is a system-wide framework. Housing First stands opposed to the “Housing Ready” approach where patients must achieve certain benchmarks, such as consistent sobriety or engagement with a healthcare provider, before receiving housing placement.
Evidence tells us that access to safe, quality, affordable housing—and the supports necessary to maintain that housing—constitutes one of the most basic and powerful social determinants of health and why housing itself is healthcare.
