Greetings from 🇫🇮 I work with this homelessness program and I want to say that when a person finally gets that little home of his own, he doesn't want to lose it, which contributes to rehabilitation. They go to rehab, rehabilitative work, go to school and even get a job. I'm really proud of them. They take life into their own hands again.
Pscyhologist Abraham Maslow said you can't work on higher level goals in your life when you are using all of your time and energy just trying to get basic needs like food and water met. The Finnish system makes good sense, and every country should use this model.
All animals behave better if we are being rewarded. Punishment never ever works, and doing anything out of extreme necessarily and fear, is punishment, so people will either retaliate or give up.
I lost my job and the next day the guy I was renting a room from (no kitchen, just a room and a bathroom) told me he needed the room back. I called California state for assistance and the woman on the phone belittled me for not being able to find another place to live. It was difficult to get a hold of a real person and when I did the first time, they hung up on me when I asked a question. I got the hell out of that State and moved to Washington state because I have family that was willing to help me. I'm still struggling but if it weren't for family and the small amount of SNAP i get from the state, I would also be on the streets. Hats off to you Finland for taking care of citizens when they fall on hard times. THAT is what a government should be doing.
@@suzanneke it should be, but when you have psychopaths and sociopaths in positions of power, that energy shifts the common practice and thinking of those who follow it.
I am in Oregon, USA. I was homeless and my cousin took me in and gave me a spot to park my old camper. Then he helped me find a better rig. Then his brother gave me a "permanent" spot to park and minimal electricity. I was able to get the rest I needed and a safe place from which to jump back into society. I am now a school bus driver which I love. I am getting stronger and healing from long-term disabilities. I love my life now!!!
I'm proud of you. That might not mean much coming from a stranger, but I wanted to put it out there in case you needed to see that someone appreciates your hard work.
Yup this works! This is how I got out of the homeless life. I was given a room and a bed and help when I needed it, how I needed it and always had people I could trust to talk to when I felt I was struggling and I WANTED to be better. Human beings want to make ourselves stronger and happier. It's built into us. I was given the opportunity to feel safety around me and I was able to address my needs without bias or being afraid the floor would fall out under me. This was in Washington State USA. People need stability and true safety to grow
Each homeless person I have known does want the sense of a community thing even if it's only with each other. If you notice most "hang around" together in some sense, find the hub in the areas that are friendly or kind to others, and if they don't create crime or tear a good thing down or apart...people do accept or help them. If not, they're banished for good reasons. Some groups even have leaders and know where to get help. A good example is after a national disaster like a storm or earthquake. They do take care of each other. It's heart breaking to not do so. They know what hardship is. People are people. If organizations can assist and help people locate and prosper in areas they already "live" in , it would be better than moving them around and around to nowhere. Build and keep more social and medical programs with care that they can relate to and use. Isn't it said, for example that alcoholism is both a social AND medical disease???? Most programs fail because no one checks on or up with the participants the program gets finding for regularly. Things also change diring the seasons. Ever spent a summer in San Fransisco or any bay area town? It can be colder than a winter. People need people. They aren't the luckiest people sometimes but we. All still need each other to help those who are homeless or poor and almost there. If countries, cities , towns or neighborhoods don't help more, we will all be sorry. Homelessness affects everyone . Just an observation. Thanks for sharing the good video. Be safe.
As a Washingtonian medic myself, I've seen these programs work too. They really do. WA (western WA at least, eastern WA has some issues still, keep thinking they're Texas or Florida) has so many of these programs, and they not only WORK, but they save so much tax money in the long run. Our foster care program in Seattle, imperfect as it is, is still light years better than anywhere else I know in the US, and provides real opportunity for foster kids even once they've aged out of the program. We fostered my little sister in law and even once she aged out, she still had access to services like housing, school, and work. She finally finished high school and is starting her first job this month, never having to worry about health care, food or housing.
Thank you Explained With Dom for everything. I've been really enjoying your content. I'm really sad to hear that you're quitting. I hope you find happiness in everything you do. Love you!
Something needs to be done in the USA that is for sure. I have never seen so many homeless in my life and never thought it could ever get so bad. Unfortunately having a roof over your head in the USA is starting to be a luxury even for people who work, don't have drug or mental problems.
So many areas in the US have allowed housing to get too expensive to afford, even if you have a job. I had to move from where I had lived for 23 years. I had a job, making what I thought was okay money. I couldn’t find a place I could practically afford within 25 miles of where I lived. The property values and rental costs have gone beserk there. I ended up in a lucky spot with a friend from where I grew up offering me an old trailer to stay in. Livable. I had to quit my job of course, because I had to move 10 hours away into a depressed area to take advantage. Even with the massive change in cost, I’m still losing money. My income dropped from 47k/yr to 24k/yr. I’m still just barely getting by with a lot of stress. Had it not been for my friend, I feel reasonably sure that I would have been on the street in no time. That’s with a (what should be) livable job! Even if you are willing to live slight in favor of having a roof, many of the landlords (especially the corporate owners, who now own 40% of the country’s rentals) require that you make three times the rental price. At $1600/mo, well, do the math. That’s how much a lone person needs to make to have a roof. This country is not trying to provide help, they are actively creating the problem. Which is borne out by the numbers. The only way you’re guaranteed housing and healthcare and food is to spend your life in prison, if you’re too old for military work, that is.
Builders aren’t building enough entry level homes and apartments It is expensive to build . most new builds in the Pittsburgh area start at 350k I think it will come down to government subsidies for builders and a change in restrictive zoning laws
I’m an educator and have also done research on best practices around the world and Finland has also use amazing ingenuity to be a leader in student success and literacy. Maybe I’ll move to Finland someday.
Housing first is safety first. The stress of living moment to moment in survival mode is unbelievable. In addition to the practical obstacles that come with not having a fixed address.
Very well said. Spending all day consumed with the thought of where can you sleep safely that night and how to stay out of the heat or freezing temps is a major issue. There are not enough shelter beds and there is no place to store your belongings let alone have clean clothes to "go get job" as I often have heard people say the homeless should do. They really don't have a clue. The housing first model works because if you can stabalize this basic human need for shelter, they will naturally begin to take the steps they need to reintegeate. Usually happens before the first year is up. We habe a shortage of housing units 17,000 to be exact and we just booted out the homeless in the shelters for assylum seekers. Not right.
@@jordanx204Being in a shelter is no better than not having a home. Many are weigh stations and money makers. They get reimbursed for the number they house and or the number they feed off the street. The 'greater' by the door is not greeting but taking a head count to be turned in to get payment from a government entity. A shelter is supposed to find the person transitional housing. In my case, the 90-day program did not start looking for transitional housing until the last week I was there. That should start the next day after intake. I was in the shelter system and have some knowledge of how some work. Transitional housing is needed most. Caseworkers and the system need to educate employers.
Yeah i never understood why most countries approach to it is: Giving psycologist help Give them detox treatement Give them a sandwich or soup I am like bro this is not the time to psycologist or go on detox. First they need a small appartement to sleep safely. This what cause problems. They are sad. Get drunk to escape the sadness from homeless lifestyle
I’ve experienced homelessness first hand in and with several friends.Housing first is essential to have any chance of getting your life back together. When your homeless your in survival mode. All day, everyday, your focused on finding the necessities, staying out of bad weather, making sure all you own isn’t taken or trashed. There is no true privacy, nowhere to safely let your guard down. Your shut off from society, shunned and looked down upon. All that does is mess with your mental health. Expecting people to climb up from that is absurd, and for some, simply insurmountable. I feel our society runs on fault, shame, and blame instead of compassion for the situation and integrated solutions that solve problems. With the wealth and availability of so many abandoned buildings all across the US, there is no excuse for the crisis we are now in. I believe the e only way we can truly effect change is to create robust community organizations that work together and start funding them at the town level. This will not come from Washington.
Because American Government politicians are greedy/they rather stuff their Bank account's than solve American homeless problems,The American Government have little interest in America's healthcare, America's infrastructure,America's college debt and America's homeless But War's destroying Humanity America's Government invest BILLION'S UPON BILLION'S OF America Taxpayer's MONEY(THAT'S WHY America HOMELESS PROBLEMS WILL NEVER EVER GO AWAY)
Sadly much of the US homelessness could be fixed. There are tons of apts, offices & other empty buildings that could be transformed but they are owned by the wealthy & big business. They get huge tax breaks for depreciation, maintenance & financing. But, on top of that, they get tax breaks when the bldg are empty & they aren't rented. Another way the wealthy are manipulating our govt in their favor.
The no true privacy thing has been grinding me lately. I'm naturally introverted and need space to recharge. Being stared at, glared at, looked at over my shoulder at any given time of day or night is really draining.
I work with homeless individuals often as an attorney. The answer has always been in the name of the issue - it has been and will always be about housing. If we look at homelessness as a medical issue, housing would be the treatment. Homelessness brings with it many other issues such as addiction, mental health issues and crime, but these are also symptoms of the issue - when people don't have a place to feel safe and are hungry and cold, we do what we have to to try and survive another day - it may be drugs as an escape, prolonged exposure to extreme stress causes mental health issues in the best of us, and if you can steal something and sell it you can buy food and drugs. Providing permanent, supportive housing allows people to feel safe so that they can focus on the things they couldn't. Housing First isn't new, it's modern focus originated in a study in NYC decades ago. It is expensive, but studies show it is less expensive to house people than jailing them for public camping, or having them in ERs to warm up, cool off, or after an OD.
Wow, my eyes just opened. I felt bad for them for drugs and thought they needed some sort of counselling (saw some young men sharing brings through needle blood transfer) but is makes sense that they're just trying to come. I cant imagine the damage homelessness does to the mind of a human being😢 it must be tough
I WAS a homeless person In New orleans USA, but the unity program which has a "housing 1rst" program, was successful in getting me back in society. It works!
The wounded soul needs compassion and love and people who care. It also needs, in many cases, a chance to learn how to take care of themselves, a chance to grow up in a normal way and not in the dysfunctional way that wounded their soul. Yay, Finland, for giving these people love and care and for being a faithful part of their lives. Bravo! Of course your system works!
Because American Government politicians are greedy/they rather stuff their Bank account's than solve American homeless problems,The American Government have little interest in America's healthcare, America's infrastructure,America's college debt and America's homeless But War's destroying Humanity America's Government invest BILLION'S UPON BILLION'S OF America Taxpayer's MONEY(THAT'S WHY America HOMELESS PROBLEMS WILL NEVER EVER GO AWAY)
HOUSING FIRST Works for so many reasons... The Biggest reason is it gives PEOPLE who have No Safety or Stability in their lives... SAFETY and STABILITY... YOU Can NOT FIX HOMELESSNESS WITHOUT HOUSING ... FOOD, CLOTHING & SHELTER... THESE ARE THE BASICS of LIFE FOLKS... ALWAYS HAS BEEN and ALWAYS WILL BE. It doesn't take Rocket Science or a frickin' Phd to figure that out ... If ELON had put his BILLIONS towards doing THIS for humanity instead of Twitter ... We would ALL be well on our way to a 100% Viable Global 🌍 Solution to issues like this by now... Ya know?
Society has to care and have to make their govts care. I don't understand why people struggle to understand that some people will always struggle alone. Not all disabilities are visible. It can't be beyond us as a society to accept that there may be some of us who will never 'pay their way'. Are we really that selfish?
You can judge a society by how it takes care of its weakest people. Finland shows a remarkable high moral ethics, that should be aspirational. Government is for the people, and Finland sets an example of that.
I work in social services to house homeless people in northern California. We follow the Housing First model but most of us know that it's less effective without extra funding for follow-up services. Most of our successes involve building relations with landlords and offering things like higher security deposits. There are some major successes in reducing homelessness in California, but it varies wildly by county because federal and state funding is county-based and some counties are frankly more hostile to the homeless than others.
I was homeless for 15 years. Only when an old friend gave me a camper and a spot to keep it on - then I was able to get everything else in order. Btw, thanks Paul.
You're the rare few. My buddy did this with an acquaintance. Fenced in area in an industrial section. Got him a camper and porta potty service and a cell phone. He was basically a watchman. Within a couple weeks, the guy started bringing in his buddies and it turned into a mess.
@@obsoleteprofessor2034 That’s one of the obstacles that faces homeless people, besides drugs and alcohol. It’s the company that they keep that’s why they have to have a little homeless encampment where services are available. They are starting to do that here in the city, I live in, they are not permanent housing situations, but they are called transitional, housing, and social workers and community representatives, doctors and legal aid comes here. Mostly, I see a lot of homeless people living in their cars. At least now, because many of them are single women they have certain areas of a parking lot by parks, and the police patrol nightly to make sure nothing happens to them. And many of these girls work a 9 to 5. They just do not make enough money to live and save for the costs of an apartment. Moving costs around here are up to $10,000. First last and deposit. Plus, they would never qualify because they don’t make enough money, because they have to go through all this paperwork. Landlords do not allow anybody to move in that they do not thoroughly check out first. This is the high rent district in Southern California. Sometimes I say you should just go home and live with your mom in Kansas, but that’s not what they want. They want to be here by the beach so they can pursue whatever it is that they are pursuing. Some of these girls work and go to the junior college here. Now why they can’t do that in Kansas, or Ohio, or Pennsylvania, I don’t understand. And yet every unhoused person that I have met is a cheerful, outgoing personality, they can’t all be faking it the people that fall through the cracks are the ones that are not addicted to drugs or alcohol, and do not have behavioral health issues. That’s why they’re unhoused, one girl told me “there’s no housing program for us. There are housing programs for alcoholics, drug addicts, people with mental health issues, even housing programs for former foster youth, but there is nothing for us”.
@obsolete professor - That's not even close to true that Chaz is among the "rare few." Homelessness in the U.S. is a policy choice that's increasingly ensnaring more working and middle-income people because of unchecked greed of its sociopathic system. These are people who don't or didn't have mental health or addiction problems prior to becoming homeless. Many become susceptible to the diseases of despair that's now running rampant in the U.S. The suicide rate is up, and life expectancy is dropping. The U.S. knowingly makes many detrimental policy choices, then blames the results on its citizens. Unfortunately, ill-informed citizens in too many instances accept the blame. They don't understand they live in a system designed to extract as much wealth as possible instead of supporting its citizens' well-being. They don't understand that because their public school system, which was one of the best, is by design now failing them, and they're being fed regular doses of bs. It's sad. Barring something out of the blue happening, I don't see it changing any time soon.
@@lynneanderson4255 So true. US culture in particular celebrates people who take from society, not those who give. Service to others is a huge part of recovery. I have seen numerous ex-homeless people support those currently sleeping rough, allowing them to bath, do laundry and have social contact. It inspires those who are struggling to want more for themselves and begin to address issues. To give, is to receive.
I’m Australian and I’ve noticed here the number of empty office buildings and have thought for years that they could be made into homes for the homeless with social workers on the ground floors a teaching kitchen to help with nutrition and basic cooking cooking for adults, various teachers who could teach about finances and banking, government letters etc all the things that we should know but don’t.
Great idea! IMO creative strategies and effective solutions are key. Let’s think outside the box. Not to mention addressing the moral stigma and blame on the homeless would be helpful too.
Most properties that people consider vacant are not actually vacant long term, they're just in between tenants. Even if a commercial property is vacant long term, we have property rights and the government would have to pay to rent the building out to tenants, and commercial rents tend to be far, far higher than residential rents due to their prime location, and so it would be very difficult for a government to afford such rent.
Cost of conversion could be prohibitive, but it’s a fantastic idea. Use the structures that exist, but retrofit for communal use. Some Japanese micro hotels could be a good model.
@explainedwithdom Show your sources for the part about San Francisco not having the resources, because they sure as hell have alot of social workers and support resources
I think with homelessness we are treating symtoms of deeper human actions. We frankly don't have all the answers for addiction, ptsd, mental health issues etc. It feels inevitable, currently, that there will be a small percentage of citizens in this situation. It looks like Finland are treating the people empathetically and that should be celebrated. Investing resources in this is worthwhile for everyone.
Four years ago while in college I wrote a thesis on homelessness. I have a huge interest in helping people that are living without homes. There was a study done in Florida where the housing first method was deployed. The study showed that the housing first method is the most successful with helping homeless people become housed, and treat addictions and mental health issues.
I was homeless for years. I couldn't stop doing drugs. I didn't want to live. I got an apartment through government housing and I immediately stopped doing drugs. I smoke pot but it's legal here in Arizona. My life has improved incredibly. I have started making UA-cam videos, singing and playing the guitar again, and I get to decorate it however I want. It's my sanctuary. For years I went in and out of rehabs, mental hospitals, halfway houses, and sleeping on the ground. And the other thing is the government is spending WAY less money on me because I'm not constantly in detox and rehab on their dime. Great video topic! Finland looks amazing.
I was homeless for a number of years. One thing that made it hard was finding a stable job I could work being fat and having mental issues but also finding a cheap place to live. I tried getting an education and getting a degree in IT but that did not work out. What did work was working at a small call center then working my way up to data input. After the company got shutdown I found a job as a credit card processor for a bank working from home. All that time I had found a very small, very cheap apartment that gave me privacy and a place to decompress. I have autism and loud noises set me off. I have never let anyone else into my apartment, it is MINE!!!! It is not for anyone else, it is the one place i do not need to be guarded about. It is a little dirty, a little messy but it is the one place I can be myself without someone else judging me. I was lucky, I never lived rough. I lived in a homeless shelter for a couple of years working there while trying to get things straight. Most are not. The homeless need a secure place and the help and the will to get off the streets. Mental health and drugs take there toll and most homeless will never get off the streets cause they are so far into drugs or alcohol and mental issues they will not or cannot seek the help they need. Housing first sounds like a better idea and would of made things much easier for me. I hope other countries and cites try this, it would make things better.
Good on you for surviving such difficult circumstances. I hope that you go from strength to strength and have a life that you can enjoy and where you can stay well.
How do you think your earlier life would have played out if you had access to psychiatric care to help you manage your mental issues? It seems like a lot of people get screwed just because they can't afford the mental care or/and medicines they need.
I've lived in Finland for years as an expat student. I can definitely confirm that I never saw a single homeless person and have been all over Finland from Lapland all the way down to Helsinki.
I live in Japan and I haven't seen anyone homeless yet either. But it's interesting to me that he says Japanese low homelessness rates are questionable. I wonder why he didn't even give details as to why.
I live in Finland and we do have some homeless people. You can't always tell who's homeless by the way they look. They have access to shower and laundry. You might be able to tell by the bags they carry with them. Some camp in the woods during summer and they prefer to keep their tent in a place, that is not easily found by outsiders. During winter, they usually need to keep walking through the night to survive. I've visited Japan a few times and seen homeless people there, too.
@@riittap9121 Yup. I actually was officially homeless for a whole year. From autumn to fall I lived in my van. In winter I moved between my friends paying them some little sum for a place to stay. But this homelesness was by the choice a social experiment for myself kind of and it worked up fine. Although whole time I knew I have a choice to move in rental apartment if I feel so, I still got a wholesome experience as a "nomad". It was nice to test the challenge of not having a home to go and I learned alot from myself, most important thing was that I get to know my limits and weaknesses.
I think the reason this has trouble catching on is because despite the program saving money, the policy always results in a net increase of tax expenditures and overlays. The money saved in ERs and police departments doesn’t mean that money is being provided to the housing first programs. Likely ERs and police agencies are spending their budget on things they need. New funding needs to be provided for the housing first program. If there were a policy to redirect funding and accounting to administer housing first in a budget neutral way, it would be a no brainer.
There is a similar program in Utah. They figured out that it was cheaper to house the homeless than to incarcerate them (which is what they were doing previously). It really works!
Well, if you had Sheriff Joe Apargio of Arizona, Maricopa county, they would be crying and sobbing to get out of his work camps, and shed their pink uniforms, and watch tv again. Then they would look at the lists of the where they get the most loot for being homeless, and go to SF, LA or Utah.
You must have missed the part about Social Security disability checks, food stamps, free health care, free hotel rooms, can steal anything they want and not get arrested and more.
They've done some housing but the mostly just push them out of the public view. As someone with years of first hand homeless outreach those in power here disgust me with their actions toward the homeless
@@mutteringmale Homelessness in the US is an industry managed by State and Federal governments in conjunction with self serving NGO's. We have the encampment system because it allows the leeches that feed off the problem the highest rate of return on their self created problem while still getting the homeless vote. Stay classy DNC
The question is how to pay for it. I will bet if they started with 20 thousand homeless they have multiple times that amount supported at taxpayer expense now. Also if borders are open then they are saying anyone globally can come and be supported for life at taxpayer expense
It all boils down to what, exactly, housing provides. In the US, I frequently hear people say, "Get a job!" I respond with the following questions: With what address? With what telephone number? How do they fill out applications without internet access? How do they bathe before an interview? With what business clothes? Those are only a few. The point is, housing provides all of those, as well as an increased sense of worthiness. These people are viewed as society's trash, but they're not. They are you and I, one, two, three paychecks away. When we provide housing, we provide humanity and hope. THAT is what housing provides that makes the biggest impact. Then the services follow.
Part of the problem I have observed in the US is that being homeless is a choice. In the Dallas area, they cleared out a massive homeless camp from under I-45. Before they cleared it out, social workers went in and talked to those people. Out of over 200 individuals in that camp, they found 2 that honestly wanted to get out of there and get back to working. There rest said that they basically wanted no part of working for someone just to turn around and give most of that money earn over to rent and bills.
This! I feel like while the Finnish model sounds great, it completely ignores the fact that humans will always try to maximize their benefits with the least amount of effort and this Finnish model made no mention of how it politely forces recipients to become participating members of society contributing back to the system that saved them. That system cannot sustain itself for any other homeless people if it is increasingly supporting a class of "freeloaders" (for lack of a better term) who have no incentive or requirement to hold a job and move on to independent living. What will end up happening is people living on the edge will CHOOSE to be homeless knowing they'll live better as a subsidized citizen and everyone else who isn't homeless grows resentful knowing their tax dollars are supporting a class of non-workers who appear to be functioning well enough to re-enter the workforce but choose not to. One person even commented that their county adopted the Finnish program and how they're happy to be drug free and make YT videos all day, sing, play guitar, etc. but made no mention about their employment status. How are you contributing back to the system so that it can sustain itself for others in need? Have you transitioned to independent living so the next person in need gets the care you got? I'm not trying to bash anyone, but it's the one thing I've always found fault with liberal policies is that it has this happy-go-lucky idealistic view of humanity that completely ignores real human nature.
Y’all are the problem. I’m in Dallas too and the blank stares on their faces are oblivious… plus Republicans since Reagan have cut rehab funding for decades making this problem. You ever notice how so many are around hospitals? Because Republicans cut funding so hospitals simply roll and dump them on streets!
Haha this is the problem…. Americans have this nasty perspective when it comes to working and contributing. Finland and Europe as a whole has a society that thinks differently about work and arent trying to maximize on screwing over the system or worries about people who are. Americans problem with homeless people is they think they are freeloaders and would rather not help them vs help them. It all comes to the people, the law only reflects the attitude of them people. Especially in places like NY or CA
Listen to the end of this video, where the narrator compares California to Finland, and concludes that CA doesn't have the key elements needed to make Finland's model work. Calif still needs a solution! We are drowning in homeless.
They crunched the numbers in Nanaimo BC, Canada 20 years ago and it was clear that providing housing was cheaper than the the public services to deal with addicted/homeless, did they wake up and do anything at the Federal or Provincial level? They created a crime ghetto of tiny metal boxes surrounded by a fence. The governments of all countries need to step in and create social housing provided by the government where the rent is paid back to the government and then the social services to actually help people get back on their feet and to actually heal the trauma that puts them on the street and addicted in the first place. The latter is the true key that modern society is clueless on how to resolve.
Your reportage super and what I absolutely appreciate is that you brought an example how the same project fails in the USA. I am German ( I wish Germany would adapt the model from Finland, that would be awesome )and live ( I didn't choose to live here, life sometimes dictate where you live) here and what I have seen here how people live in poverty or on the streets ( even they work because money is to less for living in an apartment) it's unbelievable. Poverty and homeless let people do sometimes things what they would not do I they would have a better live. I am speaking about crimes. I will not say that Germany has no problems too, their live peoples on the street too but i never have seen that mothers with new born babys live on the street....here I have and they even brought it in the TV here many years ago and I was shocked and speechless !!! Yes , and it is true that people think those people's living on the street don't deserve that society is paying for them. It's sad because everybody and I say it out loud everybody can come in this situation in life ending up on the street. I have seen church communities buying land here and building homes for homeless people but that can not be the solution that only privet organizations are helping and they can't help everybody. Nobody will believe me that I have seen situations her what you would see in 3 rd world lands.....I could not believe it when I have seen it and health care is so expensive here that really not everybody can effort it.I never forget how they were screaming( many. People want not have it) here when Obama Care was introduced and this plan needs to be upgraded, but at least is something what people can afford and many people were thankful that they could enroll in it. I never forget when the were showing prodest against Obama Care here and a young women was shouting out loud we don't needi it's cutting in our freedom, we free to chose ife we want healthy care insurance or not. This sentence from this young women who was educated ( she was a university student) is never leaving my memory what she is is understanding under freedom.....for me is freedom when I must not worry when I am going very sick how to pay pay my medical bills because I have an insurance and I still have an insurance even when I can't work and are not forced to enroll in COBRA which is so expensive and you can't pay for it either. My husband lost twice his job here in the US and I was working but my wage was not enough to cover for the cost of living and a health insurance and we have a child.I was nervous all the times when he was jobless what will happen when something big will happen with our health and than it happened, but God thanks my husband just got a job then and we were insured.....I got a surgery what cost nearby $100000 ..... so how would we have payed for so much without an insurance??? People who have money here are not understanding this and the sad thing is most US Americans never have known or heard of better health plans in the world and think it's exact right how it is here. Please you all, think about what I wrote here, the US people could have a lot better live and in my opinion they deserve it because they are hard working peoples. Never forget they are people which are not so privileged in life and come easy in situations which brings them on the streets or worst because of their living in prison. Think before you through ugly things against me because I wrote this. I don't mean it bad or ugly but what I wrote I have seen and is breaking my heart.
Very interesting approach. I wish policy makers could understand that addiction issues, mental health etc is not due to a lack of willpower, but rather due to it being a disease. Setting up a reward system will lead to failure...Setting up a Support system will lead to success.
This makes a good point. A lot of homeless crazies and drug addicts are schizophrenic. The thing a schizophrenic needs most in order to get better is stability. A warm dry place to sleep that you won't get kicked out of is the most important part of stability.
Heck just not getting enough sleep at night can have a shocking effect on even a person without mental problems. I work overnight and on my Monday by the time I finish and get home I will have been up 25 hours and I'm starting to see things. Not to bad but if say a plastic bag moves I may think it's a critter. If someone wasn't getting enough sleep every night, I can easily imagine it getting really bad!
Let me correct you. The State does not pay for it. It is paid through the hard earned money of tax payers as are most social programs. The Finns pay 30% of their money in taxes. It is money well spent.
So many cities would rather spend millions of dollars replacing all their park benches with weird designs and installing other forms of hostile architecture to discourage/prevent rough sleeping than spend money to house the homeless people or pay for social workers to assist them, even if the housing and social support would cost less in the long term.
@@you6382tube So you can spend money to implement things so that people don't *_need_* to sleep in the parks or you can be a total cunt like town/city councils in the USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia etc and spend even more money to degrade and punish the people who need to sleep in parks. Seriously, the USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia and most of the rest of the world should be invaded by Finland and have their governments replaced by someone who actually gives a shit about human beings instead of the filth we've currently got.
I was in Finland a month ago compared to the rest of the Europe. I was surprised at how clean and happy it was over there. I would move there if I could
@@OmmerSyssel Yeah because when you rely on the United States to fight china and russia and north korea, all the money you would spend on military can go to your people instead. Must be nice. Russia will invade soon. And Finland along with every other 'happy' nation will be begging for arms from the United States.
I appreciate the practical and ideological reasons noted and explained, I would have never imagined any reasons not to end the excruciating suffering of others. Great analysis. ❤❤❤
Im Finnish and the first time I saw people sleeping on the streets I was at 17 years old in England. I was shocked. I also must say that its ridiculously cold during the long winter that people in the streets would die of. Now living abroad Im proud of our social system that still wants to support and help people and we can trust the police. Society is only ws good as it treats its weakest. But I also recognise that we have only 5,5 mil ppl living so it could be easier to manage like in other nordic countries too. And also peoples mindset of not chasing profits all the time plays a big part .
I admire how the Finns realize if something doesn't work, doing it again won't help. You need a new approach.. and that may seem wrong... but you don't know until you try it. In the West , we keep doing the same thing... we don't seem to have any institutional memory.. It didn't work then.. so it won't work now. .. but like a gambler we are convinced the next roll of the dice will be the winner.
Why are you lying? There are plenty of people that are homeless in Finland. Go to the centre of Turku and enjoy seeing people homeless. Some even sleep I’m trashcans etc
@@taavi948 She might not be lying. The first time I actually saw homeless people was in the UK as well. Some poor people I've seen in my 30+ years life here might have been homeless though, but I've never seen people sleeping outside on the streets at night. Beggars and addicts in poor health, yes. Some of them are surely homeless, but homelessness is very rare in Finland. But not to say that homelessness isn't a problem, it still is.
I was going to be homeless and homes out west in rural NSW put me on a flat. I didn't have any mental health problems and I've never done drugs I was working as a dishwasher in a pub there not the reasons why I got the flat o just needed it Im on social security benefits and they just take the rent from that. It's not ideal but it's safer and kinder then being on the streets no one wants you there.
Here is a good example: I have unknown condition and lost my job and health because of it few years ago (doctors tried to find reason and cure). I recently got part time job that is something I can do with my condition. That job alone would not be enough to support me moneywise but because I live in Finland I get little bit extra income from the state that shrinks / grows depending on the income from work. Because of this system I can go to work and get over twice the income before working. I can also start slowly with couple days a week and maybe increase that later on or change to another job that has enough days to drop state off from the income list which makes me again fulltime worker for the country. I know that there are people who try abuse and are abusing this system but overall it's soooooooo much better for the country to support it's citizen (even when some of them are abusing it) than force unfortunate people to become homeless.
Yeah this is very similar to the idea of presumption of innocence - we cannot treat everyone as a potential abuser of the system, as that would mostly affect the innocents
@@toddthreess9624 Excellent point and ver true. That attitude is very bad for society and , it is no different than advocating "shoot the rich" because we all know people who abuse the opportunities to get rich. 🙂
Unfortunately the US is infested with the idea that resources are extremely limited and we gotta fight thunderdome style for them while the ultra rich continues getting richer, because that's just how god wants it. Full throttle crab in a barrel, mob mentality
My experience in CA is that there is not enough housing for the homeless, not that they have not proved deserving of it or that it is a reward for cleaning up their lives. The gov simply does not provide housing for everyone that needs it. Also there is a concern w the housing complexes for the poor. In Chicago the subsidized housing areas became full of crime and was certainly not conducive to surviving well. They eventually required all apartment building owners to provide a percentage of the apartments to the poor-subsidized by the city. The very wealthy apartment areas simply paid the city to NOT have poor people in their buildings.. not sure how this is worked out for them but it broke up of the crime possibly and supposedly removed the dangerous areas ie Cabrini green etc.
Canada has embraced the concept of Housing First, but neglected to actually create provide housing units…so homelessness continues to grow. We have a federal government that “talks the talk”, throws money around which only wealth developers can access, and thinks they done something fantastic for our Country. Kudos Finland!
In other words they created the problem and now pay themselves to keep it going. Then they play smoke and mirrors lying about it and making bank. Another day, another dollar. They are turning the screws on us harder and faster as we speak.
I lived with different friends for a few years (on the floor, on a couch, a shared room, and at a brief time, even my own private room for free). It wasn't until I found my own place did I begin thriving. Back then cell phones were not as common as they are now-- giving friends phone numbers for employers to call me was an experience. Finding a job was easier when you have stability. Having a steady place to call home is spot on. Kudos to Finland for their success and what they want to achieve! The ability to provide for individuals with nuanced and complex needs takes a lot of work, time and understanding that cannot be overly simplified. Unfortunately, laws and policies often miss this crucial aspect. "You don't need to first turn homeless people into model citizens (5:10)" is spot on. Different ideologies are another. Thank you for highlighting this!
There should be an accommodation/allowance for ppl without houses bc a cell phone can be used instead and or a po box. Ppl could also charge their phones mostly in libraries or free service phone 'booths' or welfare centres etc. With this ability to receive notifications and other correspondence there should be no need to deny payments or incarcerate ppl. But this accomm. I think, still has not been executed by some countries etc for surmountable reasons.
Holy crap, a government taking care of their citizens results in a healthier and happier society!!??!! It's amazing the realizations you can have when one prioritizes the health of society over personal profit. 😂
Public housing was a normal thing in developed nations in the post-war era (US may be an exception as they often are). It was useful for more than just 'the homeless' because it also prevented many poor and working class citizens from ever _becoming_ homeless. We sort of forgot it was something we can do. This odd notion that public works are somehow 'artificial' while private ones are natural gets in the way of that.
Their personal income tax rate is 57%. Don't forget that part. Sales tax of 24%. Corporate tax: 20%, Social Security Rate: 31.55%, GDP of -0.6, GDP growth rate of 0%, inflation 7.9% Yeah that's a real model of a winning way to do things. Tax the sh*t out of everyone and still go broke. Homelessness is their last concern in Finland, but the guy who made this video has a narrative he's pushing, so he didn't bother explaining any of that. Finland is going broke. Gee... yeah lets run things like them, they're literally going broke. Because at the end of the day, someone still has to PAY for it all, and they just ran out. Is that how "developed nations" operate? Funny...
Is that 57% figure the _top_ marginal income tax rate in a progressive income tax scale, or is it the only rate? I ask because the top rate, only paid by some and only on part of their income, is often confused for income tax as a whole. You notice, though, I was not talking about Finland now, but many developed nations in the recent past, including my own. Some public housing was the norm, accepted cross the political spectrum, and existed comfortably alongside robust private enterprise. Maybe Finland go too far, but these are not either-or questions, and you can scale things according to your own priorities in a mixed economy. Like the author says, despite his narrative, this is not a one-size-fits-all scenario.
@@syberphish Yet Finnish people aren't dying and I don't see news articles talking about the country of Finland going to hell in a handbasket. So despite your random stats, Finland is doing fine.
@@MrBrock314 I didn't say they were dying in the streets, I said they have an uncertain economic future and their outlook isn't as rosy as everyone would suggest. Further, they restrict entry to only those healthy and capable of working or benefiting their country. People want us to be like them without that part, but that part is crucial to affording the social systems.
Many of us grew up in public housing…our parents were low income workers were put on a rent buy scheme, it allowed some to work there way up in life, aventurely move on & up in life, others stayed proud staying in there homes.
Finland also changed their schools from low performing by doing what seemed a backwards approach. I am impressed with the country. They seem to realize ... doing the same thing that doesn't work... means you need to try something that is really different.
This is very true,housing first,regardless of situation,psychological and physical treatment followed next. Removing them from street drugs dependency,treatment for mental health,providing them with daily necessities of life is better than giving them another form of drugs isn't the solutions. Thanks for this video.
I believe this model began in New York City in the 80s As someone who works with the homeless everyday I believe housing is a must to allow people to get on their feet. Without housing you cannot work, your living in volatile often violent crime ridden conditions This fuels addiction depression and despair. Is that what we want for our poorest people? Get rid of regulation that drive up costs for homeless housing, get counselors and people of faith to volunteer services. We can solve this problem working together. God bless everyone
In several states, there have been people who have tried to set up 'tiny houses' that are basically 1 room with an attached bathroom. They make a small community of them of like 15 to 20 homes, and to get into one, a person has to follow rules, like keeping it clean, and keeping the area around the home clean and work with the organizers in getting job, or on social security or disability if they need it. However....a number of these places were told to stop...because the houses were not big enough, that a house needed x number of square feet and the city or state threatened to and has demolished these sites. These are nice homes, with heat, air conditioning, a small kitchenette, a bed, with room for a recliner and a t.v. But it's not big enough to be humane living conditions according to the laws. I look at these tiny homes and how nice they are, and I can't believe the law makers don't change the rules rather than force those folks back onto the street to live under a cardboard box.
The world that seems wanted is the good the bad and the ugly all living amongst one another . Side by side . No one is looking to improve anything , just let it fall apart . That's my opinion
@@melindasmith3713 When it falls apart, the bad will make it hell for the good. And that's not the way to go. I don't think everyone is entitled to equal living conditions. If someone goes out and works hard and gets rich, or even is just lucky to be born rich...that's fine with me. They get their mansion. But if someone else is born poor, or is just lazy and doesn't want to better their selves, then I have no problem with them living in a small home/apartment, even if it's subsidized by society. But those folks should not expect to live in fancy places. I think capitalism works, but that there is also room inside of that for some social help beyond tossing food stamps at people. Housing should be a priority...but those getting it, should tow the line too and at least do the minimum in keeping the place clean. Those that can't...maybe they should be warehoused in shelters or if they are truly mentally ill, be in a safe environment with help to try to get them to function in society again, if at all possible. The USA is one of the richest countries in the world, and if it wasn't for so much government waste of money, we could easily take care of those in our society who struggle to care for their selves. Even if only one or two out of ten manage from that boost in help, and are able to go get jobs and improve their own lives, it would be worth it. But those who can't, at least won't have to live in squalor and make our cities ugly with their tent cities lining our streets and filling up parks meant for families to have picnics in.
The USA is no longer the richest nation in the world. We have over 3 trillion dollars in debt not counting interest. We have dropped to being the 2nd producer of goods because our politicians took big business money and removed import tax, pay companies to move outside US, and hire that countries $2 per hour nationals over US $15 per hour. There are issues at play but too many to explain here. Some are human caused,some are the way of technology.
I always say why reinvent the wheel. So I say look for somewhere you can see it is working then apply it to any idea you may have to do better. A lot of the obstruction is the mental attitude. Some people will say why should they have it "so good" Truly it is the end result that they need to see. Cleaner, safer, better for all.
Government solutions work so infrequently because their focus is centered largely on creating a system that instills dependence on government handouts rather than empowerment of the individual.
They tried this in the city where I live. A former hotel off Main St had to be renovated after a major fire, so they turned it into 36 housing units for homeless people. Reasonably nice studios for the location, only requirement to get in - homeless and never incarcerated for a violent crime. After 2.5 months, lights and ovens no longer worked in most of the units, because people had stripped the copper wiring. After about 6 months, the place was so damaged that several units had to be evacuated. And by the end of the year, the place had to be condemned due to litter, damage, feces, insects and other issues. You can’t change people who actively don’t want to get better.
That is shallow and narrow minded. Was the project set up to succeed. There are a load of logistics to take into account and if it was set to succeed then maybe you could look into exactly why it failed, that mite be helpful or at least pro active 👍
We definitely do not take care of our own! It's hard not to become bitter when people illegally entering have all their basic needs met while Americans, especially veterans, are ignored!
Their personal income tax rate is 57%. Don't forget that part. Sales tax of 24%. Corporate tax: 20%, Social Security Rate: 31.55%, GDP of -0.6, GDP growth rate of 0%, inflation 7.9% Yeah that's a real model of a winning way to do things. Tax the sh*t out of everyone and still go broke. Homelessness is their last concern in Finland, but the guy who made this video has a narrative he's pushing, so he didn't bother explaining any of that. Finland is going broke. Because someone still has to PAY for all of it. Gee, what a "novel" idea.
A lot of people I know are suffering from health issue , no health insurance and as a result no income to cover anything or if they are on social security it’s inadequate to cover the rents that are so high now
I want to start a foundation where we build small homes and make a community for the homeless and they maintain them and the surrounding areas and get paid for it so they have an income and the city is a cleaner safer place. Shelters help but don’t eliminate the problem! I just have no idea how to start this or who to talk to 😢
Greetings from 🇫🇮 I work with this homelessness program and I want to say that when a person finally gets that little home of his own, he doesn't want to lose it, which contributes to rehabilitation. They go to rehab, rehabilitative work, go to school and even get a job. I'm really proud of them. They take life into their own hands again.
I think your country is amazing for having such a system and I appreciate you for working with them. 🙏
Thank you for dedicating your life in helping these ppl
It didn't work in Cali bc they did not adopt the entire program if they had it would have made a difference
what do you mean "finally"? Isn't the whole point that they get housing first?
@@kryphons9138probably theres quite a waitlist
Pscyhologist Abraham Maslow said you can't work on higher level goals in your life when you are using all of your time and energy just trying to get basic needs like food and water met. The Finnish system makes good sense, and every country should use this model.
Sadly not all countries have the resources nor the will to do it
All animals behave better if we are being rewarded. Punishment never ever works, and doing anything out of extreme necessarily and fear, is punishment, so people will either retaliate or give up.
The right wing in the
US reverses this idea
as a means of maintaining an endless pipeline for
CHEAP LABOR.
Indeed
@@kora4185what do you mean by behaving better?
I lost my job and the next day the guy I was renting a room from (no kitchen, just a room and a bathroom) told me he needed the room back. I called California state for assistance and the woman on the phone belittled me for not being able to find another place to live. It was difficult to get a hold of a real person and when I did the first time, they hung up on me when I asked a question. I got the hell out of that State and moved to Washington state because I have family that was willing to help me. I'm still struggling but if it weren't for family and the small amount of SNAP i get from the state, I would also be on the streets. Hats off to you Finland for taking care of citizens when they fall on hard times. THAT is what a government should be doing.
It's actually the job of the church not the government but the church fails miserably, sad😢
@@jazaneksmith6038 that would take away from their tax free profits.
@@jazaneksmith6038hence why it’s not the job of the fucking church. The church is not an authority, it is a private business.
It should not be the task of one particular organisation. Taking care of each other should be a very normal and common practice of all of society…
@@suzanneke it should be, but when you have psychopaths and sociopaths in positions of power, that energy shifts the common practice and thinking of those who follow it.
This is better then living outside in a public parks in a tent
I am in Oregon, USA. I was homeless and my cousin took me in and gave me a spot to park my old camper. Then he helped me find a better rig. Then his brother gave me a "permanent" spot to park and minimal electricity. I was able to get the rest I needed and a safe place from which to jump back into society. I am now a school bus driver which I love. I am getting stronger and healing from long-term disabilities. I love my life now!!!
Congratulations you and your support from family did great!❤
Yea big whoop.
Good for you.
I'm proud of you. That might not mean much coming from a stranger, but I wanted to put it out there in case you needed to see that someone appreciates your hard work.
@@timothyandrewnielsenactually go shove it up yours my dude.
Yup this works! This is how I got out of the homeless life. I was given a room and a bed and help when I needed it, how I needed it and always had people I could trust to talk to when I felt I was struggling and I WANTED to be better. Human beings want to make ourselves stronger and happier. It's built into us. I was given the opportunity to feel safety around me and I was able to address my needs without bias or being afraid the floor would fall out under me. This was in Washington State USA. People need stability and true safety to grow
Good point!
so happy to hear of your success -- especially as a seattleite. 🙂
👍👏
Each homeless person I have known does want the sense of a community thing even if it's only with each other.
If you notice most "hang around" together in some sense, find the hub in the areas that are friendly or kind to others, and if they don't create crime or tear a good thing down or apart...people do accept or help them.
If not, they're banished for good reasons. Some groups even have leaders and know where to get help. A good example is after a national disaster like a storm or earthquake. They do take care of each other. It's heart breaking to not do so. They know what hardship is.
People are people. If organizations can assist and help people locate and prosper in areas they already "live" in , it would be better than moving them around and around to nowhere.
Build and keep more social and medical programs with care that they can relate to and use. Isn't it said, for example that alcoholism is both a social AND medical disease????
Most programs fail because no one checks on or up with the participants the program gets finding for regularly. Things also change diring the seasons.
Ever spent a summer in San Fransisco or any bay area town?
It can be colder than a winter.
People need people. They aren't the luckiest people sometimes but we. All still need each other to help those who are homeless or poor and almost there.
If countries, cities , towns or neighborhoods don't help more, we will all be sorry.
Homelessness affects everyone .
Just an observation. Thanks for sharing the good video.
Be safe.
As a Washingtonian medic myself, I've seen these programs work too. They really do. WA (western WA at least, eastern WA has some issues still, keep thinking they're Texas or Florida) has so many of these programs, and they not only WORK, but they save so much tax money in the long run. Our foster care program in Seattle, imperfect as it is, is still light years better than anywhere else I know in the US, and provides real opportunity for foster kids even once they've aged out of the program. We fostered my little sister in law and even once she aged out, she still had access to services like housing, school, and work. She finally finished high school and is starting her first job this month, never having to worry about health care, food or housing.
Other countries: "How do we solve homelessness?!"
Finland : "lmao, homes"
Thank you Explained With Dom for everything. I've been really enjoying your content. I'm really sad to hear that you're quitting. I hope you find happiness in everything you do. Love you!
Something needs to be done in the USA that is for sure. I have never seen so many homeless in my life and never thought it could ever get so bad. Unfortunately having a roof over your head in the USA is starting to be a luxury even for people who work, don't have drug or mental problems.
So many areas in the US have allowed housing to get too expensive to afford, even if you have a job. I had to move from where I had lived for 23 years. I had a job, making what I thought was okay money. I couldn’t find a place I could practically afford within 25 miles of where I lived. The property values and rental costs have gone beserk there. I ended up in a lucky spot with a friend from where I grew up offering me an old trailer to stay in. Livable. I had to quit my job of course, because I had to move 10 hours away into a depressed area to take advantage. Even with the massive change in cost, I’m still losing money. My income dropped from 47k/yr to 24k/yr. I’m still just barely getting by with a lot of stress. Had it not been for my friend, I feel reasonably sure that I would have been on the street in no time. That’s with a (what should be) livable job!
Even if you are willing to live slight in favor of having a roof, many of the landlords (especially the corporate owners, who now own 40% of the country’s rentals) require that you make three times the rental price. At $1600/mo, well, do the math. That’s how much a lone person needs to make to have a roof. This country is not trying to provide help, they are actively creating the problem. Which is borne out by the numbers. The only way you’re guaranteed housing and healthcare and food is to spend your life in prison, if you’re too old for military work, that is.
Builders aren’t building enough entry level homes and apartments
It is expensive to build . most new builds in the Pittsburgh area start at 350k
I think it will come down to government subsidies for builders and a change in restrictive zoning laws
Liberal rules and policies cause it.
So true!
Homelessness is a very profitable business.
I’m an educator and have also done research on best practices around the world and Finland has also use amazing ingenuity to be a leader in student success and literacy. Maybe I’ll move to Finland someday.
You really should
Theyre proving that each person can have some form of housing that isn't expensive or limited.
Housing first is safety first. The stress of living moment to moment in survival mode is unbelievable. In addition to the practical obstacles that come with not having a fixed address.
Very well said. Spending all day consumed with the thought of where can you sleep safely that night and how to stay out of the heat or freezing temps is a major issue. There are not enough shelter beds and there is no place to store your belongings let alone have clean clothes to "go get job" as I often have heard people say the homeless should do. They really don't have a clue. The housing first model works because if you can stabalize this basic human need for shelter, they will naturally begin to take the steps they need to reintegeate. Usually happens before the first year is up. We habe a shortage of housing units 17,000 to be exact and we just booted out the homeless in the shelters for assylum seekers. Not right.
I was in the shelter system. No employer will hire you when they see the shelter's address.
@@jordanx204Being in a shelter is no better than not having a home. Many are weigh stations and money makers. They get reimbursed for the number they house and or the number they feed off the street. The 'greater' by the door is not greeting but taking a head count to be turned in to get payment from a government entity. A shelter is supposed to find the person transitional housing. In my case, the 90-day program did not start looking for transitional housing until the last week I was there. That should start the next day after intake. I was in the shelter system and have some knowledge of how some work. Transitional housing is needed most. Caseworkers and the system need to educate employers.
Yeah i never understood why most countries approach to it is:
Giving psycologist help
Give them detox treatement
Give them a sandwich or soup
I am like bro this is not the time to psycologist or go on detox. First they need a small appartement to sleep safely. This what cause problems. They are sad. Get drunk to escape the sadness from homeless lifestyle
@@mathewvanostin7118 Exactly
I’ve experienced homelessness first hand in and with several friends.Housing first is essential to have any chance of getting your life back together. When your homeless your in survival mode. All day, everyday, your focused on finding the necessities, staying out of bad weather, making sure all you own isn’t taken or trashed. There is no true privacy, nowhere to safely let your guard down. Your shut off from society, shunned and looked down upon. All that does is mess with your mental health. Expecting people to climb up from that is absurd, and for some, simply insurmountable.
I feel our society runs on fault, shame, and blame instead of compassion for the situation and integrated solutions that solve problems. With the wealth and availability of so many abandoned buildings all across the US, there is no excuse for the crisis we are now in. I believe the e only way we can truly effect change is to create robust community organizations that work together and start funding them at the town level. This will not come from Washington.
Because American Government politicians are greedy/they rather stuff their Bank account's than solve American homeless problems,The American Government have little interest in America's healthcare, America's infrastructure,America's college debt and America's homeless But War's destroying Humanity America's Government invest BILLION'S UPON BILLION'S OF America Taxpayer's MONEY(THAT'S WHY America HOMELESS PROBLEMS WILL NEVER EVER GO AWAY)
Sadly much of the US homelessness could be fixed. There are tons of apts, offices & other empty buildings that could be transformed but they are owned by the wealthy & big business. They get huge tax breaks for depreciation, maintenance & financing. But, on top of that, they get tax breaks when the bldg are empty & they aren't rented. Another way the wealthy are manipulating our govt in their favor.
No! Try republicans first. They don’t want to support the needy in the society. What would Jesus do?
The no true privacy thing has been grinding me lately. I'm naturally introverted and need space to recharge.
Being stared at, glared at, looked at over my shoulder at any given time of day or night is really draining.
im sure they dont want to solve anything
I work with homeless individuals often as an attorney. The answer has always been in the name of the issue - it has been and will always be about housing. If we look at homelessness as a medical issue, housing would be the treatment. Homelessness brings with it many other issues such as addiction, mental health issues and crime, but these are also symptoms of the issue - when people don't have a place to feel safe and are hungry and cold, we do what we have to to try and survive another day - it may be drugs as an escape, prolonged exposure to extreme stress causes mental health issues in the best of us, and if you can steal something and sell it you can buy food and drugs. Providing permanent, supportive housing allows people to feel safe so that they can focus on the things they couldn't. Housing First isn't new, it's modern focus originated in a study in NYC decades ago. It is expensive, but studies show it is less expensive to house people than jailing them for public camping, or having them in ERs to warm up, cool off, or after an OD.
@notsparks - every City Mayor needs to hear from you and work with City Council... but alas it’s not going to happen. Thank you for your comments...
Enters private jailing....Now, it is just business.
Wow, my eyes just opened. I felt bad for them for drugs and thought they needed some sort of counselling (saw some young men sharing brings through needle blood transfer) but is makes sense that they're just trying to come. I cant imagine the damage homelessness does to the mind of a human being😢 it must be tough
Fascinating!!!!
Beautiful 🕊🕊
I WAS a homeless person In New orleans USA, but the unity program which has a "housing 1rst" program, was successful in getting me back in society. It works!
Mann new Orleans is packed with homeless unfortunately many are not homeless as they claim they like to panhandle
Were/are you a drug addict?
God bless you
❤
So happy for you❤
The wounded soul needs compassion and love and people who care. It also needs, in many cases, a chance to learn how to take care of themselves, a chance to grow up in a normal way and not in the dysfunctional way that wounded their soul. Yay, Finland, for giving these people love and care and for being a faithful part of their lives. Bravo! Of course your system works!
Because American Government politicians are greedy/they rather stuff their Bank account's than solve American homeless problems,The American Government have little interest in America's healthcare, America's infrastructure,America's college debt and America's homeless But War's destroying Humanity America's Government invest BILLION'S UPON BILLION'S OF America Taxpayer's MONEY(THAT'S WHY America HOMELESS PROBLEMS WILL NEVER EVER GO AWAY)
No, it doesn't. The government is paying for these people to continue a non productive life and expects the people to pay for it forever.
HOUSING FIRST Works for so many reasons... The Biggest reason is it gives PEOPLE who have No Safety or Stability in their lives... SAFETY and STABILITY... YOU Can NOT FIX HOMELESSNESS WITHOUT HOUSING ... FOOD, CLOTHING & SHELTER... THESE ARE THE BASICS of LIFE FOLKS... ALWAYS HAS BEEN and ALWAYS WILL BE.
It doesn't take Rocket Science or a frickin' Phd to figure that out ... If ELON had put his BILLIONS towards doing THIS for humanity instead of Twitter ... We would ALL be well on our way to a 100% Viable Global 🌍 Solution to issues like this by now... Ya know?
I couldn’t have said it better
1:35 nice to see a statue made in my honor🥹
Society has to care and have to make their govts care.
I don't understand why people struggle to understand that some people will always struggle alone. Not all disabilities are visible.
It can't be beyond us as a society to accept that there may be some of us who will never 'pay their way'.
Are we really that selfish?
I'm not homeless but Finland sounds like a very nice place to live if this is their attitude, helping people rather than treating them like dirt.
I hope a lot of motivated people come to the same conclusion, since we here in Finland are kinda (very slowly) running out of people.
You can judge a society by how it takes care of its weakest people. Finland shows a remarkable high moral ethics, that should be aspirational. Government is for the people, and Finland sets an example of that.
why are you running out of people if its a good country?@@B1gLupu
If these people weren’t lazyazzez they wouldn’t be homeless
@@B1gLupuSo you guys need immigrants? What’s the weed situation?
I work in social services to house homeless people in northern California. We follow the Housing First model but most of us know that it's less effective without extra funding for follow-up services. Most of our successes involve building relations with landlords and offering things like higher security deposits. There are some major successes in reducing homelessness in California, but it varies wildly by county because federal and state funding is county-based and some counties are frankly more hostile to the homeless than others.
Please appreciate your blessings. We could all become homeless for a variety of causes.
How lovely. Praise the Lord!
😢😢😢❤❤❤
I was homeless for 15 years. Only when an old friend gave me a camper and a spot to keep it on - then I was able to get everything else in order.
Btw, thanks Paul.
Paul's are awesome 🤟
You're the rare few. My buddy did this with an acquaintance. Fenced in area in an industrial section. Got him a camper and porta potty service and a cell phone. He was basically a watchman. Within a couple weeks, the guy started bringing in his buddies and it turned into a mess.
@@obsoleteprofessor2034
That’s one of the obstacles that faces homeless people, besides drugs and alcohol. It’s the company that they keep that’s why they have to have a little homeless encampment where services are available. They are starting to do that here in the city, I live in, they are not permanent housing situations, but they are called transitional, housing, and social workers and community representatives, doctors and legal aid comes here. Mostly, I see a lot of homeless people living in their cars. At least now, because many of them are single women they have certain areas of a parking lot by parks, and the police patrol nightly to make sure nothing happens to them. And many of these girls work a 9 to 5. They just do not make enough money to live and save for the costs of an apartment. Moving costs around here are up to $10,000. First last and deposit. Plus, they would never qualify because they don’t make enough money, because they have to go through all this paperwork. Landlords do not allow anybody to move in that they do not thoroughly check out first. This is the high rent district in Southern California. Sometimes I say you should just go home and live with your mom in Kansas, but that’s not what they want. They want to be here by the beach so they can pursue whatever it is that they are pursuing. Some of these girls work and go to the junior college here. Now why they can’t do that in Kansas, or Ohio, or Pennsylvania, I don’t understand. And yet every unhoused person that I have met is a cheerful, outgoing personality, they can’t all be faking it the people that fall through the cracks are the ones that are not addicted to drugs or alcohol, and do not have behavioral health issues. That’s why they’re unhoused, one girl told me “there’s no housing program for us. There are housing programs for alcoholics, drug addicts, people with mental health issues, even housing programs for former foster youth, but there is nothing for us”.
@obsolete professor - That's not even close to true that Chaz is among the "rare few."
Homelessness in the U.S. is a policy choice that's increasingly ensnaring more working and middle-income people because of unchecked greed of its sociopathic system. These are people who don't or didn't have mental health or addiction problems prior to becoming homeless. Many become susceptible to the diseases of despair that's now running rampant in the U.S. The suicide rate is up, and life expectancy is dropping.
The U.S. knowingly makes many detrimental policy choices, then blames the results on its citizens. Unfortunately, ill-informed citizens in too many instances accept the blame. They don't understand they live in a system designed to extract as much wealth as possible instead of supporting its citizens' well-being. They don't understand that because their public school system, which was one of the best, is by design now failing them, and they're being fed regular doses of bs.
It's sad. Barring something out of the blue happening, I don't see it changing any time soon.
@@lynneanderson4255 So true. US culture in particular celebrates people who take from society, not those who give.
Service to others is a huge part of recovery. I have seen numerous ex-homeless people support those currently sleeping rough, allowing them to bath, do laundry and have social contact. It inspires those who are struggling to want more for themselves and begin to address issues.
To give, is to receive.
I’m Australian and I’ve noticed here the number of empty office buildings and have thought for years that they could be made into homes for the homeless with social workers on the ground floors a teaching kitchen to help with nutrition and basic cooking cooking for adults, various teachers who could teach about finances and banking, government letters etc all the things that we should know but don’t.
Great idea! IMO creative strategies and effective solutions are key. Let’s think outside the box. Not to mention addressing the moral stigma and blame on the homeless would be helpful too.
Most properties that people consider vacant are not actually vacant long term, they're just in between tenants. Even if a commercial property is vacant long term, we have property rights and the government would have to pay to rent the building out to tenants, and commercial rents tend to be far, far higher than residential rents due to their prime location, and so it would be very difficult for a government to afford such rent.
That makes perfect sense. I think the same thing about all of our abandoned malls & schools in my area
I totally agree with you sharon.
Cost of conversion could be prohibitive, but it’s a fantastic idea. Use the structures that exist, but retrofit for communal use. Some Japanese micro hotels could be a good model.
@explainedwithdom Show your sources for the part about San Francisco not having the resources, because they sure as hell have alot of social workers and support resources
Makes sense. If you are going to work. You need to shower and look decent. Having good sleep. MUCH more if you have a place to keep your stuff.
I think with homelessness we are treating symtoms of deeper human actions. We frankly don't have all the answers for addiction, ptsd, mental health issues etc. It feels inevitable, currently, that there will be a small percentage of citizens in this situation. It looks like Finland are treating the people empathetically and that should be celebrated. Investing resources in this is worthwhile for everyone.
Don’t leave out sociopaths who only want to sponge off others and are a nightmare to live near/next to.
@@tablescissors67this also can apply to non-sociopaths lol
We do. It's called community.
The population is six million max. So not a model for the U.S or many other countries with high population.
@@Maakyo I am not paying for illegals, deadbeats and fatties who do not take of their health. You pay if you like.
Thank you for investigating and sharing Finland's insightful approach.
I find it to be very compassionate and logical. I love the Finnish
They have only 5 million people
Four years ago while in college I wrote a thesis on homelessness. I have a huge interest in helping people that are living without homes. There was a study done in Florida where the housing first method was deployed. The study showed that the housing first method is the most successful with helping homeless people become housed, and treat addictions and mental health issues.
That is incredible. Leave it the Fins, they are amazing!!
Thank you Dom, great information and illumination!!!🙏👌🏠❣️
I was homeless for years. I couldn't stop doing drugs. I didn't want to live. I got an apartment through government housing and I immediately stopped doing drugs. I smoke pot but it's legal here in Arizona. My life has improved incredibly. I have started making UA-cam videos, singing and playing the guitar again, and I get to decorate it however I want. It's my sanctuary. For years I went in and out of rehabs, mental hospitals, halfway houses, and sleeping on the ground. And the other thing is the government is spending WAY less money on me because I'm not constantly in detox and rehab on their dime. Great video topic! Finland looks amazing.
Wish you all the best.
Glad to hear that you're feeling and doing better keep the sunny side up.✌️❤️
Wow, that's so awesome to hear.
What's the government housing program called that you used? I'm homeless in PA, looking for solutions...
Glad to hear you got into a better situation btw 🙏
This is a better solution than we have at present.
Civilization! ❤️
I was homeless for a number of years. One thing that made it hard was finding a stable job I could work being fat and having mental issues but also finding a cheap place to live. I tried getting an education and getting a degree in IT but that did not work out. What did work was working at a small call center then working my way up to data input. After the company got shutdown I found a job as a credit card processor for a bank working from home.
All that time I had found a very small, very cheap apartment that gave me privacy and a place to decompress. I have autism and loud noises set me off. I have never let anyone else into my apartment, it is MINE!!!! It is not for anyone else, it is the one place i do not need to be guarded about. It is a little dirty, a little messy but it is the one place I can be myself without someone else judging me.
I was lucky, I never lived rough. I lived in a homeless shelter for a couple of years working there while trying to get things straight. Most are not. The homeless need a secure place and the help and the will to get off the streets. Mental health and drugs take there toll and most homeless will never get off the streets cause they are so far into drugs or alcohol and mental issues they will not or cannot seek the help they need. Housing first sounds like a better idea and would of made things much easier for me. I hope other countries and cites try this, it would make things better.
Good on you for surviving such difficult circumstances. I hope that you go from strength to strength and have a life that you can enjoy and where you can stay well.
How do you think your earlier life would have played out if you had access to psychiatric care to help you manage your mental issues? It seems like a lot of people get screwed just because they can't afford the mental care or/and medicines they need.
I’m happy for you
I've lived in Finland for years as an expat student. I can definitely confirm that I never saw a single homeless person and have been all over Finland from Lapland all the way down to Helsinki.
Thansk for confirmation! Every place has their trouble, for sure, but nice to know.
I live in Japan and I haven't seen anyone homeless yet either. But it's interesting to me that he says Japanese low homelessness rates are questionable. I wonder why he didn't even give details as to why.
I live in Finland and we do have some homeless people. You can't always tell who's homeless by the way they look. They have access to shower and laundry. You might be able to tell by the bags they carry with them. Some camp in the woods during summer and they prefer to keep their tent in a place, that is not easily found by outsiders. During winter, they usually need to keep walking through the night to survive. I've visited Japan a few times and seen homeless people there, too.
@@riittap9121 Yup. I actually was officially homeless for a whole year. From autumn to fall I lived in my van. In winter I moved between my friends paying them some little sum for a place to stay.
But this homelesness was by the choice a social experiment for myself kind of and it worked up fine. Although whole time I knew I have a choice to move in rental apartment if I feel so, I still got a wholesome experience as a "nomad".
It was nice to test the challenge of not having a home to go and I learned alot from myself, most important thing was that I get to know my limits and weaknesses.
I think the reason this has trouble catching on is because despite the program saving money, the policy always results in a net increase of tax expenditures and overlays. The money saved in ERs and police departments doesn’t mean that money is being provided to the housing first programs. Likely ERs and police agencies are spending their budget on things they need. New funding needs to be provided for the housing first program. If there were a policy to redirect funding and accounting to administer housing first in a budget neutral way, it would be a no brainer.
Other countries SHOULD TAKE NOTE!
I’ve been asking myself about how to do that in a massive scale, and this videos just dropped in my lap, so many possibilities, thank you for sharing
There is a similar program in Utah. They figured out that it was cheaper to house the homeless than to incarcerate them (which is what they were doing previously). It really works!
Well, if you had Sheriff Joe Apargio of Arizona, Maricopa county, they would be crying and sobbing to get out of his work camps, and shed their pink uniforms, and watch tv again. Then they would look at the lists of the where they get the most loot for being homeless, and go to SF, LA or Utah.
@@mutteringmale They don't get "loot" for being homeless. You mean stay alive.
You must have missed the part about Social Security disability checks, food stamps, free health care, free hotel rooms, can steal anything they want and not get arrested and more.
They've done some housing but the mostly just push them out of the public view. As someone with years of first hand homeless outreach those in power here disgust me with their actions toward the homeless
@@mutteringmale Homelessness in the US is an industry managed by State and Federal governments in conjunction with self serving NGO's. We have the encampment system because it allows the leeches that feed off the problem the highest rate of return on their self created problem while still getting the homeless vote. Stay classy DNC
Excellent job Finland👍🏿👌🏿💚
I love this so much ❤
In Finland we don't have empty skyscrapers that are the gem of someone's investment portfolio.
Who knew giving people houses and supporting them meaningfully reduces homelessness
You’re triple vaxed gay and boosted
I know, go figure!!!🙏🤔🏠❣️
Astounding how the obvious can become the obvious!
The question is how to pay for it. I will bet if they started with 20 thousand homeless they have multiple times that amount supported at taxpayer expense now. Also if borders are open then they are saying anyone globally can come and be supported for life at taxpayer expense
Educated, attentive, empathetic, kind, thoughtful, affection etc.., Individuals and it helps being from 1 race, nationality...,
It all boils down to what, exactly, housing provides. In the US, I frequently hear people say, "Get a job!" I respond with the following questions: With what address? With what telephone number? How do they fill out applications without internet access? How do they bathe before an interview? With what business clothes? Those are only a few. The point is, housing provides all of those, as well as an increased sense of worthiness. These people are viewed as society's trash, but they're not. They are you and I, one, two, three paychecks away. When we provide housing, we provide humanity and hope. THAT is what housing provides that makes the biggest impact. Then the services follow.
Finland is really cold country. I think that played it's role in ending the homelessness.
How many times I wish I could get someone up on their feet! These stories make me want to live and do better by my fellow man. Thank you!!!
Part of the problem I have observed in the US is that being homeless is a choice. In the Dallas area, they cleared out a massive homeless camp from under I-45. Before they cleared it out, social workers went in and talked to those people. Out of over 200 individuals in that camp, they found 2 that honestly wanted to get out of there and get back to working. There rest said that they basically wanted no part of working for someone just to turn around and give most of that money earn over to rent and bills.
This! I feel like while the Finnish model sounds great, it completely ignores the fact that humans will always try to maximize their benefits with the least amount of effort and this Finnish model made no mention of how it politely forces recipients to become participating members of society contributing back to the system that saved them. That system cannot sustain itself for any other homeless people if it is increasingly supporting a class of "freeloaders" (for lack of a better term) who have no incentive or requirement to hold a job and move on to independent living. What will end up happening is people living on the edge will CHOOSE to be homeless knowing they'll live better as a subsidized citizen and everyone else who isn't homeless grows resentful knowing their tax dollars are supporting a class of non-workers who appear to be functioning well enough to re-enter the workforce but choose not to.
One person even commented that their county adopted the Finnish program and how they're happy to be drug free and make YT videos all day, sing, play guitar, etc. but made no mention about their employment status. How are you contributing back to the system so that it can sustain itself for others in need? Have you transitioned to independent living so the next person in need gets the care you got?
I'm not trying to bash anyone, but it's the one thing I've always found fault with liberal policies is that it has this happy-go-lucky idealistic view of humanity that completely ignores real human nature.
Truth!
Y’all are the problem. I’m in Dallas too and the blank stares on their faces are oblivious… plus Republicans since Reagan have cut rehab funding for decades making this problem. You ever notice how so many are around hospitals? Because Republicans cut funding so hospitals simply roll and dump them on streets!
Haha this is the problem…. Americans have this nasty perspective when it comes to working and contributing. Finland and Europe as a whole has a society that thinks differently about work and arent trying to maximize on screwing over the system or worries about people who are. Americans problem with homeless people is they think they are freeloaders and would rather not help them vs help them. It all comes to the people, the law only reflects the attitude of them people. Especially in places like NY or CA
Listen to the end of this video, where the narrator compares California to Finland, and concludes that CA doesn't have the key elements needed to make Finland's model work. Calif still needs a solution! We are drowning in homeless.
They crunched the numbers in Nanaimo BC, Canada 20 years ago and it was clear that providing housing was cheaper than the the public services to deal with addicted/homeless, did they wake up and do anything at the Federal or Provincial level? They created a crime ghetto of tiny metal boxes surrounded by a fence. The governments of all countries need to step in and create social housing provided by the government where the rent is paid back to the government and then the social services to actually help people get back on their feet and to actually heal the trauma that puts them on the street and addicted in the first place. The latter is the true key that modern society is clueless on how to resolve.
Your reportage super and what I absolutely appreciate is that you brought an example how the same project fails in the USA. I am German ( I wish Germany would adapt the model from Finland, that would be awesome )and live ( I didn't choose to live here, life sometimes dictate where you live) here and what I have seen here how people live in poverty or on the streets ( even they work because money is to less for living in an apartment) it's unbelievable. Poverty and homeless let people do sometimes things what they would not do I they would have a better live. I am speaking about crimes.
I will not say that Germany has no problems too, their live peoples on the street too but i never have seen that mothers with new born babys live on the street....here I have and they even brought it in the TV here many years ago and I was shocked and speechless !!!
Yes , and it is true that people think those people's living on the street don't deserve that society is paying for them. It's sad because everybody and I say it out loud everybody can come in this situation in life ending up on the street. I have seen church communities buying land here and building homes for homeless people but that can not be the solution that only privet organizations are helping and they can't help everybody.
Nobody will believe me that I have seen situations her what you would see in 3 rd world lands.....I could not believe it when I have seen it and health care is so expensive here that really not everybody can effort it.I never forget how they were screaming( many. People want not have it) here when Obama Care was introduced and this plan needs to be upgraded, but at least is something what people can afford and many people were thankful that they could enroll in it. I never forget when the were showing prodest against Obama Care here and a young women was shouting out loud we don't needi it's cutting in our freedom, we free to chose ife we want healthy care insurance or not. This sentence from this young women who was educated ( she was a university student) is never leaving my memory what she is is understanding under freedom.....for me is freedom when I must not worry when I am going very sick how to pay pay my medical bills because I have an insurance and I still have an insurance even when I can't work and are not forced to enroll in COBRA which is so expensive and you can't pay for it either.
My husband lost twice his job here in the US and I was working but my wage was not enough to cover for the cost of living and a health insurance and we have a child.I was nervous all the times when he was jobless what will happen when something big will happen with our health and than it happened, but God thanks my husband just got a job then and we were insured.....I got a surgery what cost nearby $100000 ..... so how would we have payed for so much without an insurance???
People who have money here are not understanding this and the sad thing is most US Americans never have known or heard of better health plans in the world and think it's exact right how it is here.
Please you all, think about what I wrote here, the US people could have a lot better live and in my opinion they deserve it because they are hard working peoples.
Never forget they are people which are not so privileged in life and come easy in situations which brings them on the streets or worst because of their living in prison.
Think before you through ugly things against me because I wrote this. I don't mean it bad or ugly but what I wrote I have seen and is breaking my heart.
Very interesting approach. I wish policy makers could understand that addiction issues, mental health etc is not due to a lack of willpower, but rather due to it being a disease. Setting up a reward system will lead to failure...Setting up a Support system will lead to success.
Discipline is key
The US needs more affordable housing.
This makes a good point. A lot of homeless crazies and drug addicts are schizophrenic. The thing a schizophrenic needs most in order to get better is stability. A warm dry place to sleep that you won't get kicked out of is the most important part of stability.
Heck just not getting enough sleep at night can have a shocking effect on even a person without mental problems.
I work overnight and on my Monday by the time I finish and get home I will have been up 25 hours and I'm starting to see things.
Not to bad but if say a plastic bag moves I may think it's a critter. If someone wasn't getting enough sleep every night, I can easily imagine it getting really bad!
Thanks Finland for helping because that every human needs a chance .
When you help those at the "bottom" first, then the whole society wins
Very inspiring!
God bless you Finland
Let me correct you. The State does not pay for it. It is paid through the hard earned money of tax payers as are most social programs. The Finns pay 30% of their money in taxes. It is money well spent.
The taxes on income to support this would not be tolerated in the U.S. Finland's income tax has also skyrocketed in the past 5 years.
Thanks!
So many cities would rather spend millions of dollars replacing all their park benches with weird designs and installing other forms of hostile architecture to discourage/prevent rough sleeping than spend money to house the homeless people or pay for social workers to assist them, even if the housing and social support would cost less in the long term.
public parks are for people to use for a short time, not to live in permanently. public parks are not permanent camp grounds.
I agree with you. I seriously doubt that the USA wants to solve the problem.
@@you6382tube So you can spend money to implement things so that people don't *_need_* to sleep in the parks or you can be a total cunt like town/city councils in the USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia etc and spend even more money to degrade and punish the people who need to sleep in parks.
Seriously, the USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia and most of the rest of the world should be invaded by Finland and have their governments replaced by someone who actually gives a shit about human beings instead of the filth we've currently got.
@@ChapmanGriffith Nor do New Zealand, Australia, the UK and most of the rest of the so-called "first world".
Yes a lot of money spent on the arts and things like that
No wonder🤔 Finland is happiest country on this beautiful🌏 🌍🌎🥀planet!
Finland is always ahead
I adore your cousins for not ignoring family 😊
And you too for your efforts 💕
I was in Finland a month ago compared to the rest of the Europe. I was surprised at how clean and happy it was over there. I would move there if I could
They say finnish people are at the top of the most happy countrys in the world i see why now they look after citizens.
Entire Northern societies works in the same respectable manner.
Lead by the principles of social democracy are the key...
No blacks or mexicans. Easy to be happy then
Finland's suicide rate is 30% higher than the world average.
@@OmmerSyssel Yeah because when you rely on the United States to fight china and russia and north korea, all the money you would spend on military can go to your people instead.
Must be nice.
Russia will invade soon. And Finland along with every other 'happy' nation will be begging for arms from the United States.
I appreciate the practical and ideological reasons noted and explained,
I would have never imagined any reasons not to end the excruciating suffering of others. Great analysis. ❤❤❤
Winter does wonders I'm sure.
Yes, many vacant old buildings, need to remodel and reconstruct
Where there is a will,there is a way...
Im Finnish and the first time I saw people sleeping on the streets I was at 17 years old in England. I was shocked. I also must say that its ridiculously cold during the long winter that people in the streets would die of.
Now living abroad Im proud of our social system that still wants to support and help people and we can trust the police. Society is only ws good as it treats its weakest. But I also recognise that we have only 5,5 mil ppl living so it could be easier to manage like in other nordic countries too. And also peoples mindset of not chasing profits all the time plays a big part .
I admire how the Finns realize if something doesn't work, doing it again won't help. You need a new approach.. and that may seem wrong... but you don't know until you try it. In the West , we keep doing the same thing... we don't seem to have any institutional memory.. It didn't work then.. so it won't work now. .. but like a gambler we are convinced the next roll of the dice will be the winner.
in america that empathy is called communism, republicans are christians full of hatred
Why are you lying? There are plenty of people that are homeless in Finland. Go to the centre of Turku and enjoy seeing people homeless. Some even sleep I’m trashcans etc
@@taavi948it's the homeless industrial complex absolutely made to perfection in California..
@@taavi948 She might not be lying. The first time I actually saw homeless people was in the UK as well. Some poor people I've seen in my 30+ years life here might have been homeless though, but I've never seen people sleeping outside on the streets at night. Beggars and addicts in poor health, yes. Some of them are surely homeless, but homelessness is very rare in Finland. But not to say that homelessness isn't a problem, it still is.
Good idea. Let's try it.
First time in Paris in 1970 as I exited train from Frankfurt-there were two separate men sleeping on stairway! Homeless I was told!
I was going to be homeless and homes out west in rural NSW put me on a flat. I didn't have any mental health problems and I've never done drugs I was working as a dishwasher in a pub there not the reasons why I got the flat o just needed it Im on social security benefits and they just take the rent from that. It's not ideal but it's safer and kinder then being on the streets no one wants you there.
Here is a good example: I have unknown condition and lost my job and health because of it few years ago (doctors tried to find reason and cure). I recently got part time job that is something I can do with my condition. That job alone would not be enough to support me moneywise but because I live in Finland I get little bit extra income from the state that shrinks / grows depending on the income from work. Because of this system I can go to work and get over twice the income before working. I can also start slowly with couple days a week and maybe increase that later on or change to another job that has enough days to drop state off from the income list which makes me again fulltime worker for the country.
I know that there are people who try abuse and are abusing this system but overall it's soooooooo much better for the country to support it's citizen (even when some of them are abusing it) than force unfortunate people to become homeless.
Yeah this is very similar to the idea of presumption of innocence - we cannot treat everyone as a potential abuser of the system, as that would mostly affect the innocents
@@toddthreess9624 Excellent point and ver true. That attitude is very bad for society and , it is no different than advocating "shoot the rich" because we all know people who abuse the opportunities to get rich. 🙂
@@toddthreess9624 I just don't trust the Government at all anymore. And that was before I joined the Army.
@@toddthreess9624 The state _shouldn't_ give "assistance" to people, it's harmful and immoral.
Unfortunately the US is infested with the idea that resources are extremely limited and we gotta fight thunderdome style for them while the ultra rich continues getting richer, because that's just how god wants it. Full throttle crab in a barrel, mob mentality
They started doing this in Utah. Really a story of the help of Gods hand. Great video.
My experience in CA is that there is not enough housing for the homeless, not that they have not proved deserving of it or that it is a reward for cleaning up their lives. The gov simply does not provide housing for everyone that needs it. Also there is a concern w the housing complexes for the poor. In Chicago the subsidized housing areas became full of crime and was certainly not conducive to surviving well. They eventually required all apartment building owners to provide a percentage of the apartments to the poor-subsidized by the city. The very wealthy apartment areas simply paid the city to NOT have poor people in their buildings.. not sure how this is worked out for them but it broke up of the crime possibly and supposedly removed the dangerous areas ie Cabrini green etc.
Canada has embraced the concept of Housing First, but neglected to actually create provide housing units…so homelessness continues to grow. We have a federal government that “talks the talk”, throws money around which only wealth developers can access, and thinks they done something fantastic for our Country. Kudos Finland!
In other words they created the problem and now pay themselves to keep it going. Then they play smoke and mirrors lying about it and making bank. Another day, another dollar. They are turning the screws on us harder and faster as we speak.
I lived with different friends for a few years (on the floor, on a couch, a shared room, and at a brief time, even my own private room for free). It wasn't until I found my own place did I begin thriving. Back then cell phones were not as common as they are now-- giving friends phone numbers for employers to call me was an experience. Finding a job was easier when you have stability. Having a steady place to call home is spot on. Kudos to Finland for their success and what they want to achieve!
The ability to provide for individuals with nuanced and complex needs takes a lot of work, time and understanding that cannot be overly simplified. Unfortunately, laws and policies often miss this crucial aspect.
"You don't need to first turn homeless people into model citizens (5:10)" is spot on. Different ideologies are another. Thank you for highlighting this!
There should be an accommodation/allowance for ppl without houses bc a cell phone can be used instead and or a po box. Ppl could also charge their phones mostly in libraries or free service phone 'booths' or welfare centres etc. With this ability to receive notifications and other correspondence there should be no need to deny payments or incarcerate ppl. But this accomm. I think, still has not been executed by some countries etc for surmountable reasons.
You got more homeless people in America than you got an entire population in Norway, Finland Denmark and Iceland or Scandinavia combined.
Small cities compared to the US. Compare apples with apples then give me the percentages.
It's too bad they're forcing farmers off of their land.
@@aarondigby5054 And why has the country let it get so bad...? Hmmm?
Holy crap, a government taking care of their citizens results in a healthier and happier society!!??!! It's amazing the realizations you can have when one prioritizes the health of society over personal profit. 😂
This sounds like the projects.
Public housing was a normal thing in developed nations in the post-war era (US may be an exception as they often are). It was useful for more than just 'the homeless' because it also prevented many poor and working class citizens from ever _becoming_ homeless. We sort of forgot it was something we can do. This odd notion that public works are somehow 'artificial' while private ones are natural gets in the way of that.
Their personal income tax rate is 57%. Don't forget that part.
Sales tax of 24%. Corporate tax: 20%, Social Security Rate: 31.55%, GDP of -0.6, GDP growth rate of 0%, inflation 7.9%
Yeah that's a real model of a winning way to do things. Tax the sh*t out of everyone and still go broke. Homelessness is their last concern in Finland, but the guy who made this video has a narrative he's pushing, so he didn't bother explaining any of that. Finland is going broke. Gee... yeah lets run things like them, they're literally going broke.
Because at the end of the day, someone still has to PAY for it all, and they just ran out. Is that how "developed nations" operate? Funny...
Is that 57% figure the _top_ marginal income tax rate in a progressive income tax scale, or is it the only rate? I ask because the top rate, only paid by some and only on part of their income, is often confused for income tax as a whole.
You notice, though, I was not talking about Finland now, but many developed nations in the recent past, including my own. Some public housing was the norm, accepted cross the political spectrum, and existed comfortably alongside robust private enterprise.
Maybe Finland go too far, but these are not either-or questions, and you can scale things according to your own priorities in a mixed economy. Like the author says, despite his narrative, this is not a one-size-fits-all scenario.
@@syberphish Yet Finnish people aren't dying and I don't see news articles talking about the country of Finland going to hell in a handbasket. So despite your random stats, Finland is doing fine.
@@MrBrock314 I didn't say they were dying in the streets, I said they have an uncertain economic future and their outlook isn't as rosy as everyone would suggest.
Further, they restrict entry to only those healthy and capable of working or benefiting their country.
People want us to be like them without that part, but that part is crucial to affording the social systems.
Many of us grew up in public housing…our parents were low income workers were put on a rent buy scheme, it allowed some to work there way up in life, aventurely move on & up in life, others stayed proud staying in there homes.
Finland also changed their schools from low performing by doing what seemed a backwards approach. I am impressed with the country. They seem to realize ... doing the same thing that doesn't work... means you need to try something that is really different.
I don't know about that. I knew several families from finland with a different opinion from yours.
@@mostlysunny582 Several out of 5.5 million? That's not exactly statistically significant.
@@MrBrock314ironically that person didn't reply
@@mostlysunny582ur wrong
Housing should be a human right. Period.
Give the broken dignity and all else will fall into place.
This is very true,housing first,regardless of situation,psychological and physical treatment followed next. Removing them from street drugs dependency,treatment for mental health,providing them with daily necessities of life is better than giving them another form of drugs isn't the solutions.
Thanks for this video.
Simplicity is a real choice and generally works people feel apart of the community and thus begin to take part again well done
I believe this model began in New York City in the 80s As someone who works with the homeless everyday I believe housing is a must to allow people to get on their feet. Without housing you cannot work, your living in volatile often violent crime ridden conditions
This fuels addiction depression and despair. Is that what we want for our poorest people? Get rid of regulation that drive up costs for homeless housing, get counselors and people of faith to volunteer services. We can solve this problem working together. God bless everyone
Cuba solved homelessness decades ago. Can you do a video on that? I think it’s remarkable.
In several states, there have been people who have tried to set up 'tiny houses' that are basically 1 room with an attached bathroom. They make a small community of them of like 15 to 20 homes, and to get into one, a person has to follow rules, like keeping it clean, and keeping the area around the home clean and work with the organizers in getting job, or on social security or disability if they need it.
However....a number of these places were told to stop...because the houses were not big enough, that a house needed x number of square feet and the city or state threatened to and has demolished these sites. These are nice homes, with heat, air conditioning, a small kitchenette, a bed, with room for a recliner and a t.v. But it's not big enough to be humane living conditions according to the laws. I look at these tiny homes and how nice they are, and I can't believe the law makers don't change the rules rather than force those folks back onto the street to live under a cardboard box.
The world that seems wanted is the good the bad and the ugly all living amongst one another . Side by side . No one is looking to improve anything , just let it fall apart . That's my opinion
@@melindasmith3713
It seems that way, don't it.. Or they want to hide the unwanted under the rug..
@@melindasmith3713 When it falls apart, the bad will make it hell for the good. And that's not the way to go. I don't think everyone is entitled to equal living conditions.
If someone goes out and works hard and gets rich, or even is just lucky to be born rich...that's fine with me. They get their mansion.
But if someone else is born poor, or is just lazy and doesn't want to better their selves, then I have no problem with them living in a small home/apartment, even if it's subsidized by society. But those folks should not expect to live in fancy places.
I think capitalism works, but that there is also room inside of that for some social help beyond tossing food stamps at people. Housing should be a priority...but those getting it, should tow the line too and at least do the minimum in keeping the place clean.
Those that can't...maybe they should be warehoused in shelters or if they are truly mentally ill, be in a safe environment with help to try to get them to function in society again, if at all possible.
The USA is one of the richest countries in the world, and if it wasn't for so much government waste of money, we could easily take care of those in our society who struggle to care for their selves.
Even if only one or two out of ten manage from that boost in help, and are able to go get jobs and improve their own lives, it would be worth it. But those who can't, at least won't have to live in squalor and make our cities ugly with their tent cities lining our streets and filling up parks meant for families to have picnics in.
@@StormyPeak Good thing you are not a politician.
The USA is no longer the richest nation in the world. We have over 3 trillion dollars in debt not counting interest. We have dropped to being the 2nd producer of goods because our politicians took big business money and removed import tax, pay companies to move outside US, and hire that countries $2 per hour nationals over US $15 per hour. There are issues at play but too many to explain here. Some are human caused,some are the way of technology.
"... homeless or regular people..." dude, homeless ARE regular people.
I always say why reinvent the wheel. So I say look for somewhere you can see it is working then apply it to any idea you may have to do better. A lot of the obstruction is the mental attitude. Some people will say why should they have it "so good" Truly it is the end result that they need to see. Cleaner, safer, better for all.
Government solutions work so infrequently because their focus is centered largely on creating a system that instills dependence on government handouts rather than empowerment of the individual.
They tried this in the city where I live. A former hotel off Main St had to be renovated after a major fire, so they turned it into 36 housing units for homeless people. Reasonably nice studios for the location, only requirement to get in - homeless and never incarcerated for a violent crime.
After 2.5 months, lights and ovens no longer worked in most of the units, because people had stripped the copper wiring. After about 6 months, the place was so damaged that several units had to be evacuated. And by the end of the year, the place had to be condemned due to litter, damage, feces, insects and other issues.
You can’t change people who actively don’t want to get better.
Did they have access to free healthcare ?
That is shallow and narrow minded. Was the project set up to succeed. There are a load of logistics to take into account and if it was set to succeed then maybe you could look into exactly why it failed, that mite be helpful or at least pro active 👍
What a novel idea 😳 taking care of your citizens. We do not know what this is like in the states.
CAPITALISM ONLY TAKES CARE OF THE RICH citizens!!
We definitely do not take care of our own! It's hard not to become bitter when people illegally entering have all their basic needs met while Americans, especially veterans, are ignored!
Their personal income tax rate is 57%. Don't forget that part.
Sales tax of 24%. Corporate tax: 20%, Social Security Rate: 31.55%, GDP of -0.6, GDP growth rate of 0%, inflation 7.9%
Yeah that's a real model of a winning way to do things. Tax the sh*t out of everyone and still go broke. Homelessness is their last concern in Finland, but the guy who made this video has a narrative he's pushing, so he didn't bother explaining any of that. Finland is going broke.
Because someone still has to PAY for all of it. Gee, what a "novel" idea.
A lot of people I know are suffering from health issue , no health insurance and as a result no income to cover anything or if they are on social security it’s inadequate to cover the rents that are so high now
I want to start a foundation where we build small homes and make a community for the homeless and they maintain them and the surrounding areas and get paid for it so they have an income and the city is a cleaner safer place. Shelters help but don’t eliminate the problem! I just have no idea how to start this or who to talk to 😢