Fifth in a series of columns written by Kingston City Coun. Jeff McLaren Article content

In Kingston, too many people who finally get housed don’t stay housed for long. The cycle repeats: from shelter, to housing, and back to the streets. Finland faced the same crisis decades ago — but their results have been strikingly different. Why? Because in Finland, the support doesn’t stop at a roof over someone’s head. Article content

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The simple truth is this: housing is the start, not the finish. In Helsinki, once a person is housed, the work continues — helping them climb up what psychologists call Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. First comes surviving: the basics of food, shelter, safety. Then comes thriving: stability, belonging and purpose. And finally

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