HOUSE THE HOMELESS

In a just world, homelessness wouldn’t exist. No one would sleep on sidewalks, in cars, or shelters. Families wouldn’t have to choose between rent and food. Housing wouldn’t be a speculative asset but a basic necessity, as essential as air and water. This isn’t utopian idealism; it’s a policy choice.

The right to housing is recognized globally. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care.” Yet despite such declarations, housing insecurity remains widespread, even in wealthy nations.

In the U.S., over 771,000 people experience homelessness on any given night, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Meanwhile, over 16 million homes sit vacant—21 empty houses for every unhoused person. The issue isn’t scarcity but distribution and failed policy.

Housing insecurity extends far beyond those on the streets, that’s the tip of the iceberg. Millions more live in cars, budget motels, or overcrowded apartments. Or pay over 30% of their income on rent, a threshold considered unaffordable. In cities like San Francisco and New York, skyrocketing rents have turned housing into a luxury, driving displacement.

Studies in The Lancet and the American Journal of Public Health link housing insecurity to chronic illness, mental health disorders, and premature mortality. Stable housing reduces hospital visits, improves mental health, and supports better educational outcomes for children. Housing is essential to public health.

Homelessness is far more costly than providing housing. A Journal of the American Medical Association study found that permanent housing for chronically homeless individuals reduced healthcare and emergency costs by nearly 50%. Utah’s Housing First program, which provides housing without preconditions, cut chronic homelessness by 91%, saving the state millions.

Vienna, Austria, is a model of affordable housing. Over 60% of residents live in municipally built, owned, or managed housing. These aren’t slums but well-designed, high-quality homes. Rent is controlled, but standards remain high. Housing is treated as a public good, not an investment tool. As urban theorist Saskia Sassen notes in Expulsions, when cities prioritize people over profit, housing crises aren’t inevitable—they’re preventable.

Finland’s Housing First model provides another example. Unlike traditional policies that demand sobriety or employment before housing, Housing First flips the script: give people stable housing first, then offer support. Finland is the only European country where homelessness is declining. People can tackle personal challenges when they aren’t in survival mode.

Eviction destabilizes families and communities, perpetuating poverty. Stable housing isn’t just a roof—it’s the foundation for education, employment, health, and security. Housing justice is also racial justice. In the U.S., redlining, predatory lending, and exclusionary zoning have entrenched segregation and wealth inequality. Addressing the housing crisis requires confronting these injustices and ensuring policies promote equity, not just access.

Ending homelessness in the U.S. would cost about $20 billion annually—less than half of what Americans spend on fast food each year. The money exists; it’s a question of priorities.

A just housing system recognizes housing as a human right, not a commodity. This means strong public investment in affordable housing, including social and cooperative models. The private rental market must be regulated to prevent exploitation, with rent controls tied to inflation and wages. Tenant protections must make eviction a last resort.

Community land trusts (CLTs) offer a powerful solution. CLTs are nonprofit organizations that own land collectively, keeping it out of the speculative market. Homes on CLT land remain affordable because land value is separated from housing costs.

Policy must also address homelessness directly. Housing First should be the standard, paired with wraparound services for mental health, addiction, and job training. Emergency shelters are not solutions—they’re stopgaps. The goal must always be permanent, stable housing.

But housing isn’t just about individual units; it’s about community design. Zoning reform is crucial to dismantle exclusionary practices that restrict affordable housing. Mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhoods reduce segregation and create more vibrant communities.

Finally, housing justice requires participatory governance. Residents must have a voice in decisions about urban development, land use, and housing policy.

Therefore, under Folklaw:

Housing shall be recognized as a universal human right, not a speculative asset. A publicly funded, large-scale housing program will ensure every individual has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing. This program will be modeled on successful global examples such as Vienna’s social housing and Finland’s Housing First approach, providing both high-quality public housing and immediate shelter for those experiencing homelessness.

To finance this initiative, the federal government will reallocate $20 billion annually—a fraction of military spending or corporate tax breaks—to end homelessness nationwide. This sum is less than 0.3% of the federal budget and significantly less than the economic costs of homelessness, including emergency services, hospital visits, and lost productivity. Studies show that every dollar invested in housing saves taxpayers at least double in reduced healthcare and policing costs.

Community Land Trusts (CLTs) and cooperative housing developments will receive public funding and legislative support to keep housing permanently affordable and out of the hands of real estate speculators. Rent control policies will be implemented nationwide, capping increases to match inflation and local wage growth to prevent rent gouging and displacement.

The Housing First model will become the national standard for addressing homelessness, ensuring people receive stable housing immediately without preconditions, followed by wraparound support services for mental health, addiction, and job training. This policy has already been proven successful in Utah and Finland, where it has led to dramatic reductions in chronic homelessness while cutting public expenses.

Speculative real estate practices, including short-term rental monopolization, hedge fund property hoarding, and vacancy profiteering, will be curbed through taxation and regulation. Empty homes will be subject to progressive vacancy taxes to discourage landlords from leaving properties unoccupied for profit while people remain unhoused.

Zoning laws will be overhauled to eliminate exclusionary single-family zoning, allowing for more diverse, mixed-income housing developments. New construction will prioritize walkable, transit-accessible communities that integrate affordable housing rather than segregating it.

Tenant protections will be strengthened nationwide, making eviction a last resort with mandatory mediation, legal representation, and relocation assistance provided for tenants at risk of displacement. Renters will have the right to collective bargaining, just as workers do, ensuring fair lease terms and housing stability.

Finally, housing justice will be embedded in democratic governance. Residents will have direct input in urban development and land-use policies through participatory budgeting and community decision-making councils, ensuring housing serves people, not profit.