Policy Brief: Housing First Programs in North America

Housing First is an approach to homelessness reduction that provides individuals with long-term subsidized housing without preconditions—such as employment or sobriety—and then offers additional supportive services to residents. Pioneered by Pathways to Housing, Housing First theorizes that having a stable home is an essential first step toward other positive outcomes, such as improved health and employment.

This brief synthesizes results from rigorous experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations of Housing First programs in North America, finding that Housing First consistently helps people move into housing quickly and stay housed in the long term. Some evidence also suggests that Housing First can have positive impacts on other outcomes, though results are more nuanced.

This brief is designed to be concise and summarize high-level findings from the research. For a more extensive discussion on the evidence base in homelessness and housing, visit J-PAL North America's Homelessness Evidence Review.