Understanding homelessness
I remember giving talks about homelessness in schools a few years ago (we still do). We asked the students if they could identify a homeless person in a couple of photos. One photo showed a man sitting on the ground, his clothes very dirty, holding a cart full of bags, and next to him was a picture of a young, well-groomed woman. Almost everyone pointed to the man. The reality was that both were homeless. This is the starting point, it's still relevant, and it's one of the challenges we have to overcome: breaking down prejudices about homelessness by raising awareness of realities that are closer than we think.
Homelessness is undoubtedly the most extreme manifestation of social exclusion. And what does this mean? In my experience, those who are or have been homeless have not only lost the home where they lived, but much more : the opportunity for education, employment, the support of family and friends… When people find themselves on the streets, it is very likely that their entire support network has failed them, and their access to certain rights is compromised. Beyond this, it is also important to consider that not all homeless people have ever had a home. For example, some have spent years in institutions such as prisons or juvenile detention centers. In European cities, the number of people experiencing homelessness is increasing, according to information provided by the Barcelona City Council in its 2016-2020 plan to combat homelessness.
Homelessness is a circumstance with serious consequences
In some discussions, we've heard statements like "he's homeless." It's important to emphasize that these aren't people without shelter or a home. Being homeless is something that can happen (and that can be reversed); it's a circumstance, but it's not a defining factor. Another statement you might hear is, "Homeless people are homeless because they brought it on themselves." There may be personal factors , such as level of education, unemployment, addiction, or other mental health problems, or lack of income... but it's also true that there are relational factors like gender-based violence, a traumatic breakup, or the unexpected death of a family member. There's also the institutional factor, such as insufficient public funding for combating and preventing homelessness. And there's the structural factor: the economy , housing and employment policies, and the state of citizens' rights.
The weight of social determinants in the right to health
The combination of these factors means that some people are increasingly exposed to homelessness, and not only due to personal circumstances. These are situations that anyone can find themselves in.
Experiencing homelessness has serious consequences for the lives of those who suffer it. When people are forced to sleep in public spaces, they are exposed, first and foremost, to the elements. They also lack a safe and private space to rest, cook, and attend to their basic needs. Without their own space, individuals are more likely to violate ordinances that prohibit certain activities or actions in public (for example, relieving themselves). There is also a greater risk of experiencing verbal, physical, and sexual violence, as well as theft. This situation is especially aggravated for women . Not having a stable home makes it extremely difficult to start or carry out a life project that includes personal recovery, work, family, and a social network. In terms of mental health, according to data from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE, 2022), 59% of homeless people exhibit some symptoms of depression, and understandably so.
Elisa
All of this contributes to the life expectancy of homeless people being reduced by about 15-30 years compared to the general population.
As we have seen, homelessness can arise from multiple factors and has serious consequences for individuals. However, not all forms of homelessness are readily apparent. FEANTSA (European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless) has developed a European typology that outlines the different manifestations of homelessness: the ETHOS categories (European Typology of Homelessness and Housing Exclusion), which are divided into:
- Homeless people
- Homeless people
- People who live in unsafe housing
- People living in inadequate housing
This categorization helps to better understand the scale of homelessness.
The extent of homelessness in Spain
In Spain, to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness, the National Institute of Statistics (INE ), municipalities throughout the country, and other organizations conduct censuses. The latest data, from October 2022, indicates that 28,552 people were receiving services in shelters for the homeless. According to this study, some demographic data shows that the majority of homeless people are men (76.7%), and 51.1% are under 45 years old. However, it is worth noting that since 2012, the proportion of women in this situation has increased by 3.5%, reaching 23.3% in 2022.
40% of people have been homeless for more than 3 years, a fact that indicates a certain chronicity or institutionalization of a significant group of people.
Despite multiple nighttime counts in various municipalities, a consensus on data collection methods has not been established. The most recent official figures for homeless people in Spain, both those receiving care in shelters and those outside them, quantify 33,275 individuals (data from the National Comprehensive Strategy for Homeless People 2015-2020), and this is perhaps the most accurate estimate. However, these figures only consider ETHOS categories 1 and 2. Therefore, it is essential to establish, in the short to medium term, a common data collection methodology, similar to those proposed at the national level , and to expand it to reveal what is currently invisible, thus facilitating a better diagnosis of the situation regarding insecure or inadequate housing. The more effective the data collection and analysis, the better the approach will be.
How do we address homelessness?
Addressing homelessness is an issue discussed at the European, national, regional, and local levels, as well as within the third sector. At all levels, there is significant collaborative work that unites efforts in the fight against homelessness.
At the European level, the Lisbon Declaration on the European Platform to Combat Homelessness was approved, signed by the main European actors and countries in October 2021.
The five basic principles of the Lisbon Declaration are:
- That no one is left unprotected due to a lack of accessible, safe and adequate emergency accommodation.
- No one should live in emergency or transitional accommodation longer than is required to successfully move to a permanent housing solution.
- No one should be discharged from any institution (e.g., prison, hospital, care facility) without an offer of suitable housing.
- That evictions should be avoided whenever possible and no one should be evicted without assistance for a suitable housing solution, when necessary.
- No one should be discriminated against because of their homelessness.
Spain launches its first National Strategy to Address Homelessness 2015-2020
In communities such as Galicia , Madrid, the Basque Country, the Valencian Community, the Region of Murcia or Catalonia , among others, different strategies are being deployed to address homelessness.
Some organizations and networks are joining forces to advocate for change, improve services, raise awareness, or call for increased investment in services for people experiencing homelessness, given that it is an underfunded sector. They also work to promote legislation that guarantees the rights of homeless people. One example would be the proposal of urgent and temporary measures to address homelessness in Catalonia.
At the local level, many municipalities carry out important direct support work, although few have action plans in place. All of them, without exception, require significant collaboration with third-sector organizations to provide the best possible support to people experiencing homelessness.
Social assistance response to homelessness
To provide support to people experiencing homelessness, assistance is offered through various facilities, services, transitional housing, and other resources. These include first-response centers, residential inclusion centers, supported housing, soup kitchens, day centers, and low-threshold centers. In most cases, residential support is used as a tool to develop an action plan to overcome homelessness, while also providing support from social workers for the shortest possible time to minimize institutionalization.
Each of these programs has its own characteristics and operation, and to a large extent, they have been organized using the transition ladder model. This model is based on providing support to people experiencing homelessness, starting with facilities such as first-response centers, then moving to supported housing, and finally transitioning to independent living.
In recent years, methodologies with proven effectiveness in helping people experiencing homelessness find housing have been incorporated. The most prominent of these has been Housing First , which consists of offering stable housing and support from a team of social and healthcare professionals.
The Housing First model is characterized by its person-centered, rights-based, and recovery-oriented approach. This methodology has fostered a shift in perspective and professional practice among those involved in these projects, as well as among individuals, organizations, and government bodies that have been connected to them in one way or another.
This connection has allowed Housing First to complement pre-existing models, providing support to individuals who had not received assistance through other methodologies (such as the ladder model or the continuum of care ) (Busch-Geertsema, 2012). It has also enabled, in many cases, a thorough review of the care provided by various services, using its guiding principles as a reference. Some methodological aspects have been incorporated into shared housing programs, residential centers, and services for people experiencing homelessness, leading to an improvement in the quality of care. These guiding principles can be a valuable tool for improving care for people experiencing homelessness.
We cannot ignore the example of Finland, which has led the way in eradicating homelessness by developing a social rental housing stock, along with the conversion and modernization of existing facilities into more humane spaces, many of which have been converted into homes (Y-Foundation, 2021). This inspiring and exemplary experience is gradually spreading to other European cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, and others. Today, these conversions are reflected in less crowded spaces where people can enjoy greater privacy and autonomy . Individual/shared and communal housing spaces are also being created for women, families, young people, and the elderly. All of this will undoubtedly act as a catalyst for people's recovery, providing them with opportunities for personal and social development so they can pursue their life goals.
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