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Homelessness, bedspace and the case for Housing First in Canada

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  • Evans, Joshua
  • Collins, Damian
  • Anderson, Jalene

Abstract

The act of problem formation is integral to the policymaking process. Moreover, the process by which certain situations, experiences or events are rendered problematic hinges upon the places, spaces and networks through which the issue is made visible and intelligible to policy makers and decision makers. In this paper, we explore these epistemic geographies by unpacking one such example – the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s At Home/Chez Soi study – a federally funded, $110 million field trial of the Housing First (HF) model. HF prioritizes rapid rehousing of the chronically homeless, followed by separate support and treatment services. The model has become widespread in Canada since 2005, based in large part on understandings of its cost-effectiveness. In this article, we utilize At Home/Chez Soi as an illustrative case for examining how ‘chronic homelessness’ is translated into a discourse of costs and benefits, and given an accounting value, through a series of translations. This problematization advances a particular logic – what we refer to as ‘bedspace’.

Suggested Citation

  • Evans, Joshua & Collins, Damian & Anderson, Jalene, 2016. "Homelessness, bedspace and the case for Housing First in Canada," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 249-256.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:168:y:2016:i:c:p:249-256
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.06.049
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Margo Huxley, 2013. "Historicizing Planning, Problematizing Participation," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(5), pages 1527-1541, September.
    2. Andrew Karvonen & Bas Heur, 2014. "Urban Laboratories: Experiments in Reworking Cities," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 379-392, March.
    3. Macnaughton, Eric & Nelson, Geoffrey & Goering, Paula, 2013. "Bringing politics and evidence together: Policy entrepreneurship and the conception of the At Home/Chez Soi Housing First Initiative for addressing homelessness and mental illness in Canada," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 100-107.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tom Baker & Pauline McGuirk, 2021. "Out from the shadows? Voluntary organisations and the assembled state," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 39(7), pages 1338-1355, November.
    2. Clifford, Brendan & Wilson, Andrew & Harris, Patrick, 2019. "Homelessness, health and the policy process: A literature review," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(11), pages 1125-1132.

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