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Prince William launches 5-year project to end long-term homelessness in the UK

Prince William launched a five-year project to end long-term homelessness in the United Kingdom on Monday, saying he wants to make sure that instances of people being left without a roof over their heads are 91Ƶrare, brief and unrepeated.91Ƶ

launched a five-year project to end long-term homelessness in the United Kingdom on Monday, saying he wants to make sure that instances of people being left without a roof over their heads are 91Ƶrare, brief and unrepeated.91Ƶ

The will announce details of the program over the next two days as he visits six pilot projects around the country that have received grants of up to 500,000 pounds ($637,000) each from the Royal Foundation, the charity that supports the work of William and his wife Kate.

91ƵIt91Ƶs a big task, but I firmly believe that by working together it is possible to make homelessness rare, brief, and unrepeated, and I am very much looking forward to working with our six locations to make our ambition a reality,91Ƶ William said in a statement.

The six projects supported by the initiative, known as Homewards, involve collaborative efforts by local organizations, individuals and businesses to combat homelessness in their communities. Homewards also hopes to emulate the success of Finland, where people receive permanent housing as a first step before trying to address other issues such as substance abuse.

The initiative comes as rising rents and a shortage of affordable housing push more people into homelessness amid the biggest decline in living standards since World War II.

91ƵMy first visit to a homelessness shelter was when I was 11 with my mother. The visits we made left a deep and lasting impression,91Ƶ William said as he launched the program.

91ƵI met so many extraordinary people and listened to so many heartbreaking personal stories. Too many people have found themselves without a stable and permanent place to call home.91Ƶ

Around 300,000 people across the U.K. are homeless on any given night, according to Matt Downie, chief executive of the charity Crisis, one of the organizations working with Homewards.

91ƵThe best way to tackle homelessness is to stop it happening in the first place,91Ƶ Downie said. 91ƵWe91Ƶve seen it in other countries such as Finland, where homelessness is all but ended, and we91Ƶve seen it when we follow innovative programs that give people housing first.91Ƶ

Danica Kirka, The Associated Press

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