August 25, 2010; Source: NUPGE.ca | In Vancouver, Canada, 100 chronically homeless people will check into the Bosman Hotel Community as part of a research project being run by the Mental Health Commission of Canada to test the value of the Housing First approach for people with mental illness and substance abuse issues. The 100 residents will receive a furnished room and food for a maximum of three years, and once they are housed, they will receive treatment. Five hundred people were considered for the rooms at the repurposed inn against the 100 chosen. The other four hundred will act as a control group. Half of this control group will receive treatment services without housing and half will be housed in scattered sites. This is one of five locations across Canada where the study will be carried out—more than 2,000 will participate. However you may feel about Housing First, it is rare to see a research project of this size and apparent cost carried out. We would love to hear your feelings about it!—Ruth McCambridge