The number of homeless people in Europe has been on the rise for several years.
Although numbers are hard to come by — because different countries have different definitions of homelessness and not every country keeps track of how many people fall under their definition — the European Commission found that the number of people sleeping on the street is increasing in almost all EU member states.
Finland is one of the rare exceptions. In this Scandinavian country, the number of homeless people has been declining since 2008, as the authorities began to emphasize the Housing First strategy. This strategy is based on the principle that if a person has a permanent and secure home, it is easier for him to move on in life.
While this approach saves money in the long run, the initial cost is so high that it has recouped other countries want to follow Finland's example.
One of the proposed solutions to reduce costs in the interim is modular housing, which is used as a stepping stone towards housing independence.
What are modular homes?
Modular houses are custom-made structures designed for temporary use. They can be transported and installed at different sites, and are usually loaned at low or no cost.
They have been proposed as a low-cost, high-quality solution to the problem of housing for people who find themselves without roofs over their heads, including for victims of natural disasters and refugees.
They are cheaper than building new affordable housing — modular homes typically cost 15-20% less than conventional houses built from timber. Modular home communities are often accompanied by charitable support services that help formerly homeless people get back on their feet.
In Cambridge, the first community of formerly homeless modular home residents was created in 2020 by Jimmy's Cambridge, a charity in partnership with the non-profit Allia Future. Homes and the New Meaning Foundation.
According to Lewis Herbert, manager of Allia Future Homes, the houses were designed with homeless people and charities and people in mind.
«(The residents of modular homes) don't have a lot of possessions,» Herbert told Euronews Culture. «So basically we needed a very simple and compact design: a living room with a kitchen in the corner, a bathroom with a shower, and a single bedroom.»
According to him, modular houses are made for people who are not going to stay there forever, because this is only the first step for those who used to choose between a shelter and a street.
Each house has an area of 25 m2, a small porch and garden. There are usually no more than six buildings in a community.
How do modular homes help residents?
A new report published by the Center for Housing Research and Planning at the University of Cambridge shows that modular homes can help the homeless get started on their journey to permanent housing.
«Modular homes are an innovative solution to the problem of homelessness and have already shown positive results,» the report says.
However, it is expected that housing alone will not solve the problem, and that «the use of modular solutions as temporary housing for preparing people for independent living works best where the offer of housing is combined with support.»
Some former homeless people said that having their own space helped them gain self-confidence to cope with addiction and reunite with family members .
«It's a slow recovery,» Jimmy's CEO Mark Allan told Euronews Culture. «But if you can talk to your family, and if you can stop drinking and start thinking about work and finding it again, that's a big step forward.»
Modular homes are different from other types of temporary housing, offered by Jimmy's because of their privacy, which Allan believes is essential for recovery.
“It gives a person their own space, they can go into the house, close the door and be alone. I think this is very important for those who are recovering from what led them to homelessness,” says Allan.
One of the residents told the researchers that for him «solitude is the best thing, because you can do whatever you want.»
«Sometimes it's hard to communicate with other people, and you need to be alone,» said the man.
Troubles are yet to come
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK government set an ambitious goal of ending night-sleeping by 2024, but the rising cost of living has seen the number of homeless people increase over the past year.
All residents interviewed for the survey in Cambridge, they said it was still difficult to find a job, although having an address helps. It was also difficult to access mental health services in a timely manner.
«…Long wait times for mental health and drug and alcohol treatment are said by some to be a barrier to improving their health,» the study says.
Allan adds that while modular homes are a great intermediate solution for getting people off the street, they don't solve the problem of providing affordable long-term housing.
«It's good that they exist as an intermediate, affordable solution. But this only a temporary solution. And that's the whole problem. We don't build enough affordable housing,» sums up Allan.