Interview by Christina Bacher
In 2019, Cologne’s Vringstreff e V began its Housing First initiative. Since then, the association has provided housing to 14 people who had been experiencing homelessness. Local street paper Draussenseiter spoke to project manager Dr Kai Hauprich.
Draussenseiter: Housing First involves not only providing people experiencing homelessness with a home, but also supporting them in all areas of life and addressing the individual causes of their homelessness – correct?
Dr Kai Hauprich: Exactly. In fact, the biggest misunderstanding is thinking that all you have to do is get an apartment and the rest will fall into place. That’s nonsense, of course.
This article first appeared in Draussenseiter, a magazine sold on the streets of Cologne, Germany by people who have limited other ways of earning an income.