Housing First Programs Need to be Designed to Address Isolating Boundary Concerns

This article explores the sociological complexities of the Housing First (HF) approach to homelessness by examining how it affects individuals still living in shelters and on the streets. Through interviews with 22 people experiencing homelessness, the authors argue that HF creates symbolic boundaries—dividing the “worthy” from the “unworthy” for housing—and forces individuals to navigate shifting social spaces once housed. Using the concept of “boundary-work,” the study highlights how HF can inadvertently reinforce exclusion even as it seeks to alleviate homelessness, offering insights for how HF programs might be more inclusively evaluated and implemented.