SWEDEN
Radical housing model gives Larry a life-changing home
Housing First is a model that is proving effective in dealing with homelessness. It certainly worked for Larry Andersson, 54, who sells Swedish street paper Faktum in Gothenburg
By Malin Clausson
“I really don’t know what to say. I could scarcely believe this possibility even existed. When I found out about it, it was a life-changing moment,” says Larry Andersson, with his voice full of emotion. He’s referring to the “Bostad först” – or housing first – model, which gave him the chance to start over on his own terms.
It’s a model that takes a radically different approach to traditional housing programmes to tackle homelessness and is based on support as opposed to penalising measures when individuals fall through the cracks. It empowers individuals to deal with all the issues that arise in independent accommodation.
Larry required support to settle into his one-bed flat. “I was given a furniture grant and bought this sofa set and that little table there,” he says pointing to a corner of the room. “This little altar, this I’ve bought with money from selling Faktum [Sweden’s biggest street paper],” he says and turns towards the wall with the icons hanging on it.
Larry Andersson lives only a few hundred metres from the street where he grew up. What’s
