In the context of research on the geographies of homelessness, this
paper examines the rise of a policy and program model known as Housing First.
Targeting ‘chronic homelessness’—a term commonly applied to long-term homeless
individuals with complex support needs—Housing First initiatives involve the
provision of permanent housing linked to comprehensive, client-directed support
services. Despite their rapid international circulation, high public profile
and significant implications for the governance of homelessness, Housing First
initiatives have received very little attention within the geographical
literature. In response to this absence, I seek to highlight the rise of
Housing First and its implications for research on the geographies of
homelessness, a field increasingly attentive to the persistence of similarly
‘supportive’ measures amid broader neoliberalisation projects. After examining
the growth and history of Housing First initiatives, I argue that two key areas
warrant further attention: first, the ambiguous politics of Housing First
ideas, and second, the subjectivities, technologies and mobilities that shape
and enable their implementation.