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24 March 2017 - updated 4 years ago -
4 comments
The European Commission estimates that about 4 million people experience homelessness every year in the EU. Unlike relative poverty which seems to go down in the EU as a whole, homelessness is increasing in all EU member states (except Finland). In some countries we see double-digit increases and most worrying are the rapid increases in youth and family homelessness. Some shocking trends below
/futurium/en/file/homelesspnghomeless.png
Housing is a very important factor in the pathways in and out of homelessness. People who experience homelessness often have multiple problems, but the lack of access to affordable housing is a/the primary one. Homeless policies in a growing number of EU member states have an increasingly strong housing dimension. Recent research and experiments have proven that even for the most entrenched homeless immediate access to permanent (supported) housing works.
One of the results of the growing awareness about the key role of housing to prevent and tackle homelessness is that the homelessness sector has started to invest in knowledge and expertise on housing and is becoming a relevant stakeholder one the "housing scene" in several member states. At European level, the same evolution took place. 20 years ago, FEANTSA (the European umbrella of services for the homeless) concentrated its work on emergency approaches to homelessness. Now, FEANTSA devotes a considerable part of its resources and time on the analysis of housing market trends and the identification of affordable housing solutions.
Last week, we launched the 2nd edition of our report on the state of homelessness and housing exclusion in Europe. You can find the report here
/futurium/en/file/overviewhousingexclusion2017en2pdfoverview_housing_exclusion_2017_en_2.pdf
More information about the report including country fiches on FEANTSAs website http://www.feantsa.org/en/report/2017/03/21/the-second-overview-of-housing-exclusion-in-europe-2017?bcParent=27
FEANTSA publishes regularly policy statements on housing and housing markets and we started to produce a series of housing solutions papers. The first paper focuses on vacant buildings and identifies a few inspiring practices from across Europe on how to turn vacant stock into affordable dwellings. You can find it here
/futurium/en/file/longversionenpdfpdflong_version_en.pdf.pdf.
Given the above, it was a surprise for us that we were not invited to join the Housing Partnership as "Other Participants" in spite of repeated demands. The prevailing idea amongst the "traditional" housing actors that homelessness services cannot be housing experts was probably the reason. That is a pity and a missed opportunity. We hope that we can still contribute to the work of the Partnership from the outside...
If the Partnership is serious about its focus on affordable housing, it must in one way or another include the "outsiders" in its work - the bodies representing people excluded from the housing market and the organisations providing affordable housing solutions that go beyond the provision of social housing and housing benefits (without challenging the importance of these pillars of public housing policy). These organisations can add an innovative/refreshing perpective to the work of the Partnership, and FEANTSA is certainly one of them.
In the spirit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals which will inform the EU 2030 Agenda under the slogan "Noone Left Behind", the Pertnership should also focus on the people suffering most from housing exclusion including people who are homeless. Homelessness is first and foremost a housing issue!
Looking forward to work with you.
Freek Spinnewijn
Director of FEANTSA
