FEANTSA’S « Ending Homelessness Campaign »

1. FEANTSA’S« Ending Homelessness Campaign »

2. Homelessness - a reality in all EU member states • Homelessness is a reality in all EU Member States. • Ending homelessness is undoubtedly an ambitious and challenging task, yet many countries in Europe have already taken significant steps towards achieving it.

3. What is homelessness? • Homelessness and housing exclusion are complex and multifaceted. • FEANTSA’s ETHOS typology of homelessness sets out a broad definition covering 4 main living situations – rooflessness, houselessness, insecure housing and inadequate housing. • The causes of homelessness are multiple, complex and interrelated. • The profiles of people who are homeless are diverse and changing.

4. From managing to ending homelessness in Europe • Historically, many responses to homelessness have been reactive and somewhat ad-hoc. They have sought to manage the problem of homelessness. • It is time to stop managing the problem and to strive to end homelessness. • In some cases, responses to homelessness have in fact become part of the problem. • There are often large gaps in service provision due to a lack of overall strategy. • There is a clear urgency to move towards more strategic policies with a long-term view on ending homelessness.

5. The EU context • Homelessness and housing exclusion is a priority area under the EU Social Inclusion and Social Protection strategy • The European Parliament has taken a number of important initiatives on homelessness, including a Written Declaration on Ending Street Homelessness adopted in 2008. • The Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion • The report on Homelessness and Housing Exclusion by the EU Network of independent experts on social inclusion • The European Year for combating poverty and social exclusion 2010 • European Consensus Conference under the Belgian Presidency in December 2010

6. Five goals to end homelessness • Homelessness can and should be ended. In order to achieve this, FEANTSA calls for the development of integrated homelessness strategies which address five goals. These goals: • Relate to the aspects of homelessness which are best addressed by specific homelessness policies • Address visible, reachable and quantifiable target populations • Represent people who are either already using, or could be reached by targeted homeless services • Serve to focus homelessness strategies on pragmatic objectives • Are what FEANTSA considers to be the essential elements of strategies to end homelessness

7. 1. No one sleeping rough • Many European countries are tackling rough sleeping in a concerted, ambitious way. • Provision of adequate alternatives including emergency accommodation and long-term housing options • Needs-adapted emergency or transitional accommodation • Tailored case-management approaches to service provision • Quality of services • Participation of service users • Targeted and general prevention

8. 2. No one living in emergency accommodation longer than is an ‘emergency’ • Emergency or very short-term accommodation distinct from transitional accommodation • Long-term stays in emergency accommodation are common and perpetuate homelessness • Blockages in the homeless services system • Institutionalistation • Long-term stays in emergency accommodation expensive compared to permanent housing options • Increasing number of countries committed to reducing time spent in emergency accommodation • ‘Housing first’ approaches • Emergency accommodation should be a temporary response to crises • Right to privacy, shelter and security

9. 3. No one living in transitional accommodation longer than is required for successful move-on • Settlement services to encourage transition from emergency shelters and tenancy support schemes • Follow-up support services • Long-term housing options critical to assuring move-on, including access to public or social housing

10. 4. No one leaving an institution without housing options • Hospital, care or prison leavers vulnerable to homelessness • Relatively easy group to reach through targeted policies • Preventing homelessness amongst this group can reduce the cost of homelessness • Housing advice on entering, while staying in, and upon leaving institutions can avert homelessness • Housing assessment on admission to institutions • Ongoing support and follow-up care • Formalisation and implementation of admission and discharge protocols • Targeted accommodation provision

11. 5. No young people becoming homeless as a result of the transition to independent living • Lack of first-time housing options, services or entitlement to benefits can make young people especially vulnerable to homelessness • Situation of young people recognised in number of national homelessness strategies • Early intervention e.g. home and housing education • Youth homelessness often linked to family breakdown • Specific barriers to accessing housing: eligibility housing benefits and social housing, age requirements in tenancy agreements • Rent deposit schemes • Individualised support to maintain tenancies • Holistic approaches including opportunities to access to training and employment

12. Conclusions • The five goals set out the kind of targets that integrated strategies should address in order to end homelessness. • The goals could provide a framework for EU monitoring of progress on tackling homelessness • These goals are pragmatic and realistic – a number of Member States have already made commitments to, and significant progress towards these goals.

13. Further Resources • ‘Ending Homelessness’ campaign page • ‘Ending Homelessness: A Handbook for Policy Makers’ • Many other publications and resources at www.feantsa.org