#113 | Left Out in the Cold – Episode 4: Putting "Housing First" in Finland
#113 | Left Out in the Cold – Episode 4: Putting "Housing First" in Finland  
Podcast: CIAJ In All Fairness - ICAJ En toute justice
Published On: Thu Dec 04 2025
Description: Finland, renowned for being the happiest country in the world, has addressed homelessness head-on through a human rights-based approach to housing. Under the Finnish "Housing First" approach, everyone is entitled to a settled place to live, regardless of life circumstances. This system moves away from the goal of making people experiencing homelessness "housing ready," and toward supportive housing units with normal leases and tenancy agreements.   In the fourth episode of this series, host Sarah Rowe is joined by Juha Kahila, Head of International Affairs at Y-Foundation, one of the key national developers of the Housing First principle in Finland. Juha explains why his country chose to adopt this approach, how their housing services provide dignified support to residents, and what other jurisdictions can do to decrease the rate and severity of homelessness in their population.     Guest Juha Kahila, Head of International Affairs, Y-Säätiö (Y-Foundation) Host Sarah Rowe, Legal Counsel, Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ)