Editing Public housing (section)

=== Finland ===

The right to housing is guaranteed in the Finnish constitution, and public housing in Finland is largely funded through loans which are subsidized and guaranteed by the government. Roughly one third of Finland's housing stock has been built this way.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ARA steers and monitors |url=https://www.ara.fi/en-US/ARA_housing_stock |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=www.ara.fi |language=en-US}}</ref> Rents for public housing apartments in Finland are typically significantly lower than market-rate housing. Eligibility to live in public housing in Finland is based on a need-based evaluation, and those with very low incomes and those who are experiencing homelessness are given priority.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heikkilä |first=Jenni |date=2022-11-18 |title=Finnish system for affordable social housing supports social mixing and brings down homelessness |url=https://www.munifin.fi/whats-new/finnish-system-for-affordable-social-housing-supports-social-mixing-and-brings-down-homelessness/ |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=MuniFin |language=en-GB}}</ref>[[File:Flats Sandelsinkatu Vuorela Siilinjarvi Finland 08.jpg|thumb|A public housing apartment building at the Sandelsinkatu street in [[Siilinjärvi]], Finland]]
The earliest public housing project in [[Finland]] was in [[Helsinki]]. In 1909, four wooden houses designed by the architect {{lang|sv|A. Nyberg|italic=no}} were built on {{lang|fi|Kirstinkuja|italic=no}} (formerly {{lang|fi|Kristiinankatu|italic=no}}) for the city's workers. The residents were mainly working-class families with several children. The apartments had an average of five people per room, sometimes up to eight. The tiny apartments were equipped with running water, a pantry and an attic cupboard. Every apartment had its own toilet in the cellar. Electric lighting was installed in 1918.

The homes and lives of worker families in Helsinki from 1909 to 1985 are presented in a museum near the {{lang|fi|Linnanmäki|italic=no}} amusement park.

In 2008, Helsinki launched its Housing First policy, with the goal of ending homelessness by prioritizing unconditional housing.<ref name="theguardian.com">{{Cite web|date=2019-06-03|title='It's a miracle': Helsinki's radical solution to homelessness|url=http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jun/03/its-a-miracle-helsinkis-radical-solution-to-homelessness|access-date=2021-12-07|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=10 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210061548/https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jun/03/its-a-miracle-helsinkis-radical-solution-to-homelessness|url-status=live}}</ref> With municipal, state, and NGO support, and coupled with health and medical services, the program reduced homelessness by 35% between 2008 and 2019.<ref name="theguardian.com"/>