The housing company Heimstaden has rented out the first three apartments in Hamburg to formerly homeless people as part of the "Housing First" program.
Jessica Nowek, Asset and Operations Manager for Hamburg at Heimstaden Germany, says: "We are proud to be able to make our contribution to combating homelessness as part of the Housing First initiative. We would like to actively support people in Hamburg in finding their way back to an independent life. My sincere thanks go to the teams of 'Housing First Hamburg' and the 'Behrens Foundation' for the great cooperation."
Own apartment at the beginning of the offer of help
With "Housing First", moving into one's own apartment is at the beginning of the help, not at the end. This important first step is flanked by "Housing First" with a comprehensive range of support for a return to an independent life for the persons concerned.
Problems that have often arisen from homelessness or were its cause are intensively supported after moving in and if necessary. Behind this is the conviction that living in one's own apartment and the associated securing of one's own existence can release forces that are needed to lead a life of one's own responsibility.
According to current estimates, around 3,800 people are homeless in Hamburg alone. For many years, the non-profit Behrens Foundation has set itself the goal of minimizing homelessness. The Behrens Foundation is itself active as a social landlord and, together with "Housing First Hamburg", mediates between housing companies and affected persons. The Behrens Foundation, together with the Diakonisches Werk Hamburg and the Hamburg-Ost church district, is the sponsor of the Housing First offer.
Reiner Schäfer, Managing Director and Board Member of the Behrens Foundation, says: "We are very pleased to have found a new strong partner in the fight against homelessness in Heimstaden Germany. With the start in Hamburg and the rental of the first three apartments to people who are coming out of homelessness, Heimstaden is taking an important step that can serve as a role model for other private landlords."
Carolin Bein from Housing First Hamburg, adds: "An important prerequisite for the success of Housing First is the support of other owners of housing. We therefore very much hope that many more housing companies will follow Heimstaden's example."
In addition to the pilot project in Hamburg, Heimstaden Germany has also rented out the first apartments to formerly homeless people in Rostock as part of "Housing First". There, the project is accompanied by the Rostock initiative MOiNS (Intelligent Protection of People from Homelessness).
