HOUSING FIRST MODEL: Everything starts at home!

This revolutionary social program has provided a home and psychosocial support to more than 540 people over the age of 50 in Chile who had been living on the streets for a long time. On its fourth anniversary, a preliminary assessment shows that it is much more cost-effective than shelters in promoting inclusion and overcoming poverty.

This is a pioneering project in Chile and Latin America, which began in the United States as Housing First and later continued in Europe. 

Francisca Gallegos, Head of the Social Promotion and Protection Division of the Ministry of Social Development and Families, says: "We are very satisfied with the positive results of the program because it is the most effective tool we have as a State to end the street situation in the most chronic group of the population, which are the elderly people with a long history in the street".

-What aspects stand out the most?

For decades, social organizations and citizens have been asking for a concrete solution and with this program we have achieved a housing retention rate of more than 80 percent, that is, of the people who enter, at least 8 out of 10 remain in the housing; Ninety-six percent of the participants improve their indicators in relation to self-perceived health, subjective well-being and, in addition, eighty percent improve their levels in the areas of employability, self-esteem, ontological security, recovery, appropriation of housing and victimization.

Social worker Tamara Elgueta, coordinator of Hogar de Cristo's Housing First in the Metropolitan Region, has witnessed cases of success that fill her with pride.