The Brussels government invests far too little in support and shelter for the homeless

“The new count by Bruss’Help confirms what we feared,” Brussels MP Gilles Verstraeten says. In November 2020, there were 5,313 homeless people in Brussels. That is an increase of 27.8% compared to 2018 and an increase of 200% compared to 2008. A threefold increase in 12 years!

Three times as many homeless people (and who knows how many there are under the radar)

Previous reports have always referred to a doubling over the past 10 years. “With the increase of the last two years, we have reached a sad threefold increase,” Gilles Verstraeten concludes. There were 1,100 women and 933 children, which is 50% more than two years ago. “But we don’t actually know exactly how many homeless people there are, because many stay under the radar. We are very concerned about this, particularly because we want to get those people vaccinated as well.”

Homeless people are not all the same

Gilles Verstraeten also raises the question of the different categories of homeless people. “Homeless people are not all the same. We cannot help someone structurally without valid residence papers or transmigrants by definition, but we must have them go through the federal migration and asylum procedures. If we fail to do so, their numbers in the homeless population will also continue to rise.”

A sad result of a failed policy

Gilles Verstraeten criticises the government for investing millions in emergency shelter for years and far too little in structural support and shelter for the homeless. “The high figure is the sad result of a failed homeless policy. The government must now put its full efforts into prevention and projects such as Housing First that provide homeless people with permanent accommodation again.”