Presentation of first results

EUROCITIES Social Affairs Forum (SAF)

Working group on Homelessness (WGH)Cities' Strategies against Homelessness

Participants

• Copenhagen

• Genoa

• Glasgow

• Helsinki

• Malmö

• Newcastle

• Oslo

• Rotterdam

• Riga

• Stockholm

• Utrecht

• Vienna

• Warsaw

Objective WGH

In order to address the numerous problems

leading to homelessness, the Working Group

on Homeless (WGH) pointed out policy

recommendations based on a comparison and

analysis of cities’ strategies to prevent and

tackle homelessness.

Strategic objectives:

• Overall reduction of the number of homeless people

• Elimination of homelessness for families

• Abolition of long-term homelessness (more than 2 years in transitory institutions)

Operational objectives:

• Developing European quality standards in services for homeless people as well as in services to prevent homelessness and to sustain accommodation

• Identification of good practices on empowerment processes

Designations of measures

Offers for homeless people

Offers for non - homeless people

Temporary programmes to

accommodate homeless people

Support to prevent homelessness

Accompanying programmes Programmes to safeguard sustainable accommodation

Auxiliary programmes

DefinitionsETHOS - European Typology on

Homelessness CONCEPTU

AL

CATEGORY

OPERATIONA

L CATEGORY SUB

CAT

EGO

RY

DESCRIPTION

ROOFLESS

1 2

Living in a public space (no abode) Stay in a night shelter and/ or forced to spend several hours a day in a public space

1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 2.3

Sleeping Rough Contacted by outreach services Low-threshold / direct access shelter Arranged (e.g. low budget hotel) Short-stay hostel

HOUSELESS

3 Homeless hostel / temporary accommodation

3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

Short-stay homeless hostel Temporary housing (no defined time) Temporary housing (transitional defined) Temporary housing (longer stay)

Measures promoting successful housing integration

•Transitory accommodations with specific support (e.g. for target groups) will enable most of the homeless to empower themselves and to stay independently in an own flat at a later time.

•For those who will not be able to live without support even in a long run, specialised longterm accommodations will ensure a life in dignity.

Reasons for success

• The cooperation between municipalities and NGOs is useful to tackle homelessness successfully

• The creation of special task forces is helpful to integrate individuals with special needs

Major obstacles preventing successful integration

•A lack of professional support to people who are endangered to become homeless, will increase the number of homeless. •Accommodation of the homeless without the aim to (re)integrate them to independent housing, is responsible for an increasing number of people concerned.

Conclusion•The problem of homelessness is fact a problem of the whole European society.•The realization of this by public authorities at all political levels is required•National and regional framework conditions can influence the outcome of the practical support measures for the homeless•Cities are more concerned in this issue than rural regions

Recommendations •A clear description of problems, aims and

goals (including time table and financial requirements) efforts is needed.

•The implementation of actions at the local level is a very pragmatic and efficient way to answer new challenges.

•Public private partnership does not mean to take away responsibilities and competences from public authorities to social NGOs !