Homelessness

As a generic term, homelessness describes the living conditions of people without a permanent residence or protected private housing.

Demarcation

Homelessness is often confused or equated with homelessness . The two terms are differentiated in the current international scientific discussion: homelessness is part of it, but overall it only accounts for a small part of homelessness. For most people, this is by far the best visible, as the homeless often stay in public space (and sometimes spend the night there).

Much more people are considered homeless, such as women and children who had to leave their homes because of domestic violence and who are sheltered in a shelter for the short to medium term, such as B. in women's shelters . Home residents can also be considered homeless if they do not have a corresponding private room; an emergency sleeping place is not considered an apartment.

The term `` non- sedentary '', which was customary until the 1990s , is no longer used due to the highly discriminatory background, especially during the National Socialist era .

European definition

In its overarching definition of homelessness ( ETHOS - European typology for homelessness, homelessness and precarious housing), the European Association of National Organizations for Homelessness (FEANTSA) distinguishes between four conceptual categories:

homelessness
Homelessness
Unsecured living
Insufficient living

These are further divided into 13 operational categories.

Definition according to BAG homeless assistance

According to the official definition of the Federal Association for Homeless Aid in Germany, people are homeless if they do not have access to a rental contract and are assigned to a communal apartment or a home for the homeless on the basis of regulatory or social law.

In addition, there is homelessness if those affected live in emergency accommodation or as self-payers in a cheap pension. Those people who “make records” are also homeless (BAG-W 2006). This is a common expression in the scene and means to live without any accommodation on the street.

Situation and causes

Many homeless people come from poor family backgrounds that offer little protection and development opportunities. Traumatic experiences such as For example, the death of loved ones or the loss of professional existence are often factors that play a major role in the development of homelessness (Essendorfer 2006).

Homelessness is usually an important indicator of poverty . It very often has the background of a massive crisis in the life story . There are many reasons for this. Homelessness also arises from the situation of people who live in institutions in which the length of stay is limited and where no permanent housing is available. This includes temporary dormitories , asylums and hostels , but also other temporary solutions .

Immigrants and asylum seekers who live in reception centers, camps , homes or hostels until their residence status has been clarified are homeless . Foreigners with temporary residence and work permits living in guest workers' quarters, as well as all types of migrant workers, can also find themselves in the situation.

Another group of homeless people are people who are discharged from institutions, e.g. B. prisons , hospitals , sanatoriums and youth homes . With these people, no or not timely arrangements for dismissal have often been taken, so that at the time of dismissal there is no place to live. Very young adults are often no longer covered by youth welfare , but still stay in the home because no other accommodation is available.

Situation in the German-speaking area

The social exclusion and stigmatization caused by homelessness gives those affected little recourse to a social environment that could adequately support them materially and emotionally. The dependence on state transfer payments increases the risk of external determination by the actors in the aid system and public authorities (Notz 2005).

Germany

In Germany, no official statistics on homelessness have yet been kept (as of the end of 2019). On January 16, 2020, the Bundestag passed a law introducing homeless reports, which will provide for central statistics on homeless people in communal or emergency accommodation from 2022. In addition, a supplementary homeless report should report on people who are temporarily staying with relatives or friends or who are living on the street or who are self-paying in cheap pensions. A homelessness report is to be published every two years.

The BAG Homeless Aid has been making estimates for years which show that homelessness has been rising steadily since 2009. From 2015/16 onwards, the total number rose again dramatically due to the rise in homelessness among recognized refugees. The BAG W assumes 678,000 people for 2018 who were homeless in the course of the year (2017: 651,000). The proportion of women was 25% (59,000) and of minors 8% (19,000). Recognized refugees made up the vast majority of the homeless in 2018, at 441,000 people.

According to the management of the Federal Homeless Aid Association, the inadequate supply of affordable housing, the shrinking social housing stock and the solidification of poverty are the main reasons for the increasing number of homeless people.

Media reports that the proportion of families and workers among the homeless is increasing. In certain cases the social welfare office can pay for the rent and accumulated rent debts in order to prevent homelessness. Under certain circumstances - in particular rent arrears , deterioration of the apartment, inadmissible subletting ( § 543 BGB) - the landlord can terminate the contract without notice and file an eviction action after the eviction period has expired .

Austria

Data on homelessness in Austria are also difficult. The homeless survey of the Federal Working Group for Homeless Aid (BAWO), which was last compiled in 2009 on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, lists 37,000 cases for 2006, whereby only clients supervised or advised by homeless aid institutions were included in this count. 606,000 Austrians lived in overcrowded living spaces. In 2007, 41,769 evictions (evictions) were initiated. A study from 2017 assumes around 21,500 registered homeless people, although this number is limited to registered homeless people (people with a main residence confirmation for the homeless) and in facilities for the homeless.

Switzerland

As in Germany and Austria, no nationwide figures are collected in Switzerland. Individual cities estimate the number of homeless people based on the overnight stays in the emergency sleeping places and the information provided by auxiliary facilities. There is a tendency for an increase in people without a permanent residence to be observed (as of the end of 2017).

Individual evidence

↑ On the change in terms cf. Wolfgang Ayaß : vagabonds, hikers, homeless and non-sedentary people. A brief history of the concept of help for the homeless , in: Archive for Science and Practice of Social Work 43 (2013), Issue 1, pp. 90-102.

↑ ETHOS - European Typology for Homelessness , accessed on January 16, 2014.

↑ Statistics on homelessness. In: bundesregierung.de. January 16, 2020, accessed January 18, 2020 .

^ Draft law for the "introduction of homeless reports". In: eu-schwerbehabad.eu. January 16, 2020, accessed January 18, 2020 .

↑ ^a ^b Federal Association for Homeless Aid: Homelessness - No End in Sight , accessed on November 11, 2019

↑ Simone Gaul: First the baby, then the eviction notice. In: time online. December 1, 2019, accessed December 5, 2019 .

^ Federal Association for Homeless Aid: Homelessness and Assistance to the Homeless in Austria. online ( Memento of the original from January 17, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ( Short version ( Memento of the original from January 17, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this note. ), Accessed on January 16, 2014. @1@ 2 @1@ 2