How the CoR can promote the mobilisation of local actors in the fight against homelessness at EU lev

1
How the CoR can promote the mobilisation of local
actors in the fight against homelessness at EU
level

• Baroness Joan Hanham, Member of Royal Borough of
  Kensington and Chelsea, UK CoR member

2

• Combatting social exclusion
• Homelessness as an aspect of social exclusion
• Committee of Regions opinion on housing and
  homelessness, 1999

3
Recommendations from 1999 opinion

• European Union to continue to support research in
  homelessness
• There should be arrangements at EU level to
  exchange knowledge and initiatives between local
  authorities, based on existing networks
• European Social fund objectives should
  specifically cover this issue

4
Recommendations from 1999 opinion (cont)

• European Institutions should give further
  consideration to the principle of a right to
  adequate accommodation
• It wished to draw attention to the question of
  cohesion and European integration in relation to
  the problem of the Communitys proximity to
  less-advantaged countries

5

• Mobility of population
• Increase in housing

6
How is homeless defined?- Ethoss four elements

• Rooflessness without a shelter of any kind
• Homelessness with a place to sleep but in
  temporary institution or shelter

7
Ethoss four elements (cont.)

• Inadequate housing caravans on illegal
  sites, unfit housing or extreme
  overcrowding
• Insecure housing insecure tenancies,
  eviction, domestic violence

8
What are the trends in homeless policy-making?

• Europeanisation
• Decentralisation
• GLOCALisation

9
Europeanisation four policy-objective headings

• Increasing labour market participation
• Eliminating child poverty
• Improving access to quality services
• Tackling discrimination

10
Decentralisation

• The importance of partnership working
• Prevention and solutions
• The European observatorys 2005 review of
  statistics on homelessness

11
Conclusions

• Committee of the Regions - possible contribution
  to the debate
• Finding a solution
• Cost implications