Contribution FEANTSA to SAD conference on homelessness Ostrawa – 7 Sept 2010

FEANTSA (1)  Structure  Membership  NGOs  Decision-making  Office   Budget  European Commission  Activities  Mutual learning  Conferences, expert groups, projects …  Research  European Observatory  Lobbying  EU …  Member States  Communication 

FEANTSA (2)  Impact  Source of expertise and innovation  Comparison  Concrete  ETHOS  Definition of homelessness  Mphasis  Toolkit for homelessness information strategy  Litigation  Collecoms against France & Slovenia  EP commitment on homelessness  Written Declaration 2008  …

European Forum to Combat Homelessness  Why?  Solutions  Transsectoral cooperation  What?  Local authorities  HABITACT  National/Regional authorities  Informal  Health  ENHHW  Employment  Homelessness and Employability network  Other…

HABITACT  Membership  12 cities  East Europe?  FEANTSA coordinates  Activities  Exchanges  Conference  CoR  Local homelessness strategies  Peer review  Projects  Centre of expertise   Policy bank

EU policy context FROM WORDS TO ACTION….  European Parliament call for EU commitment on homelessness – 2008  End rough sleeping by 2015  More ambitious EU intervention Democratic basis for action  Homelessness thematic priority of EU social inclusion strategy  27 national report Reference /Comparative basis for action  EU agrees to develop national integrated strategies on homelessness  Joint Report  EPSCO Commitment to act  Consensus conference – 2010  Belgian Presidency Consensual basis for action Poverty Platform

EU policy context (2) JOINT REPORT – WHAT IS IN IT?  Call for national homelessness strategies  Guidance  Targets  Rough sleeping; Duration of homelessness; Quality of services; Prevention  Information & evaluation  Proper data collection  Governance  Role of NGOs & Local Authorities  Approach  « Housing First »  Emerging profiles  Poor workers & Migrants  EU Role  Promote and monitor progress  Member States can ask SUPPORT!!

EU policy context (3) CONSENSUS CONFERENCE – WHAT & WHY?  Belgian EU Presidency event  Break deadlock because of disensus  Methodolody  PrepCom, Experts, Jury  Research & Homeless People  Questions  Understanding/Definition  Aim  Housing First  Participation  Migrants  EU role  Basis for future policy making at EU (and national) level

EU policy context (4)  GENERAL FRAMEWORK  EU 2020 agenda  Poverty is priority  Mention of homelessness  Poverty target  Reduce with 20 million people living in poverty  Relative poverty, Material deprivation, jobless households  120 millioon  Homeless not captured  Translation in the national/regional targets  Autumn 2010  Lobbying opportunity  Joint Report  EU Poverty Platform  Stream of action on homelessness?!

EU funding  European Regional Development Fund  New funding facility  Housing intervention for marginalised groups  Homeless & Roma  All EU member states  ≠ new funding  Reallocation required  Max 3% of ERDF funding for UK and max 2% of total ERDF funding  4 billion €  Housing interventions  Building, upgrading/humanising, tranforming shelter/hostel provision  « Housing First »  ERDF managing authority  Underspending  Until 2013  Mid-term review  Future Structural Funds regime 2014 – 2021  Take up necessary

EU data  Census 2011  Obligation to include/count the homeless  EU directive  First time  Quality ?!  EU-SILC  Possible question on past experience of homelessness  Coordination with US, Canada, Australia…  Follow up Mphasis project  Monitoring progress towards comprehensive homeless information strategies Transnational comparaison possible in the future …

EU awareness raising/campaigning  EY 2010 against poverty  Dissappointing!  National level  Very few projects on homelessness  Visibility?  EU level  Waste of resources  Campaign without message  Political impact ??

FEANTSA activities  European campaign « ending homelessness is possible »  Managing vs. Ending  Campaign objectives  No one sleeping rough (1)  No one in emergency accommodation than situation is emergency (2)  No one longer in temporary accommodation than necessary for reintegration (3)  No homelessness after institutional release (4)  No young homeless in transition to independent living (5)  Campaign tool  Handbook for policy makers  Variety of activities  Potential support of the European Parliament  Written Declaration

FEANTSA  Priorities for future  Migration & Free movement  Call for EU intervention incl. funding  Quality of services  EU quality system for homeless services?!  See open EU services market  Link with European Social Fund?!  Impact of the crisis  Identify good practices…  Interesting projects  Housing Rights Watch  Facilitate legal action  Slovenia – tenants rights  HABITACT  Mobilise local authorities  Large research project…  HOPE in Stations  Mobilisation of railway companies  Housing First  Pooling test sites

Inspiration from abroad …  Finland  Closing all hostels by 2015  Innovation in supported housing  Ireland  Funding  Focus on time in shelters  Denmark  Quality of life  Freak housing  France  Justiciable right to housing  Norway  Institutional release  Prison  Austria  Prevention of evictions

Inspiration from abroad (2)  Spain  Employment – Social economy  Belgian  Pivate rental market  Scotland  Homelessness Etc Act  Solution  Responsibilisation of social housing sector  England  Rough sleeping  Quality of shelters  Places of change programme  Netherlands  Local authorities  European dynamic

« Housing First »  « Housing First » vs Continuum of care // « Housing ready »  Housing as tool of integration vs housing as « reward » of integration process  Most excluded homeless  « Assertive » provision of services but no condition  US >>>>> UK, Scandinavia…  Impact housing stability  Cost-benefit  Housing supply?!

 Thank you for listening 