1. PREVENTING/ TACKLING HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY OF LJUBLJANA
EUROCITIES Social Affairs Forum
Lisbon, April 2017
Workshop „Urban Partnership on Urban Poverty: Area-based approaches“
City of Ljubljana City Administration
Health and Social Care Department
Alenka Žagar

2. The City of Ljubljana the capital and the biggest city of Slovenia
European Green Capital 2016 title
Mayor, a City council (45 members), a Supervisory committee
17 municipal districts
City Administration and over of 100 local public institutes and public companies: together more than employees
(photo: T. Jeseničnik, source:

3. Broader context and situation at preventing/ tackling homelessness in the city  
Population: inhabitants and daily working migrants (SORS)
Registered unemployment rate: 11,4 % (ESS)
Usage of broader definition of Homelessness: without or with unstable accommodation
Strong “social state” concept
No specific areas with extreme poverty/ homelessness in the city
People from other regions coming into the city seeking anonymity, possibilities, help
Disturbing forms of street homelessness in the city centre
Integrated approach with significant pressure on public spending/ city’s budget
(photo: Miha Fras)

4. Integrated approach for preventing/ tackling homelessness within City of Ljubljana authorities
1. Employments/ work for the most de-privileged
co-financing public work programmes in partnership with the Employment Service of Slovenia: in 2016 with city funds 60 people were employed assignments of public interest were issued, which made employments in public work programmes possible
supporting initiatives for work within programmes for the homeless: street newspaper „Kings of the Street“

5. 2. Social care services/ programmes
carrying out/ subsidising public social services: family assistance at home service, (co)payments of care costs in homes for the elderly, refunds of the wages for family assistants
city financial assistance
co-financing various social programmes
(photos: Miha Fras)

6. 3. Housing provided by the City of Ljubljana Public Housing Fund (PHF)
PHF‘s total rental stock: accommodation units
non-for-profit accommodation units in rental through tenders: units (the needs are much bigger than capacities – only 10% succeed on tenders)
occupied urgent residential units: 326 units
housing for special purposes: 38 units and 4 residential buildings rented out by 16 organisations offering help
anti-eviction activity in co-operation with The NGO Kings of the Street Society
(photo: PHF archive)
(photo: Nik Rovan)

7. Most needed to improve or to address people’s needs more sufficiently?
More non-for-profit accommodation units in the city
Situation: additional non-for-profit accommodation units are needed in the city
Main obstacles: lack of stable funding for housing and no possibility of debt financing (strict national legal restrictions)
Proposal: non-refundable European funds - raise the minimum proportion of ERDF funds in the next financial mechanism for the sustainable urban development in cities

8. Thank you for your attention!