Comparative Analysis on Homelessness' Monitoring in Europe for the 2030 Agenda

Abstract

This paper examines homelessness in the EU and focuses on how countries monitor this phenomenon, looking at the existence of monitoring frameworks and their local dimensions. The 8th Overview of Housing Exclusion in Europe reveals that there are at least 895,000 individuals experiencing homelessness, sleeping rough or in temporary accommodations, marking a 70% increase compared to a decade ago. To combat this problem, the Lisbon Declaration on Combating Homelessness was signed by EU Member States, institutions, and civil society organizations, aiming to eradicate homelessness by 2030. The methodology includes desk research and interviews with statistical and homelessness experts. Our findings reveal that EU member states have diverse legal national definitions, national strategies and monitoring programs at the local level. Additionally, there are varied socio-demographic profiles of people experiencing homelessness across different countries.

Keywords: Homelessness, deprivation, monitoring, public policies, European Union

JEL Classification: K14, R20, C23