Housing & Homelessness
Finland has nearly eliminated homelessness with Housing First.
The US has 771,000+ people sleeping on streets every night.
A Home Is a Right, Not a Privilege
Europe treats housing as a fundamental need — investing in social housing, rent controls, and proven programs like Housing First. America treats it as a market commodity, leaving millions to fend for themselves.
Homelessness Rate per 10,000 People
The Housing First Revolution
Finland proved that giving homeless people permanent housing FIRST, then addressing other issues, is cheaper AND more effective than shelters. They've nearly eliminated homelessness while the US spends billions on temporary shelters that cycle people back onto the streets.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Fair Context
The US offers significantly more living space per person, lower prices in many metro areas, and a home mortgage system that supports accessibility.
European Standouts
Finland
Housing First pioneer. Near-zero homelessness — one of few EU countries with a long-term Housing First strategy.
Austria / Vienna
60% of Viennese live in social or subsidized housing. The city has built affordable housing for over a century — and it works.
Netherlands
30% social housing stock — one of the highest in the world. Housing associations are major providers of quality affordable homes.
Denmark
Strong cooperative housing model. Tenants collectively own and manage their buildings, keeping costs low and quality high.
The American Housing Crisis
- 771,000+ people are homeless on any given night
- 11 million households spend 50%+ of income on rent
- 3.8 million eviction filings per year
- Median home now costs 5.0x the median income