Presentation given by Bill Edgar at a FEANTSA Research Conference on "Understanding Homelessness and Housing Exclusion in the New European Context", Budapest, Hungary, 2010
Transitional Homelessness – Homelessness in Transition in Eastern Europe
1. HOMELESSNESS IN
TRANSITION IN EASTERN
EUROPE
Bill Edgar
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN THE
ENHR
NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
2. Outline of Presentation
Post Socialist / Accession Welfare Regime(s)
Homelessness in Eastern Europe
Civil Society
The State
The Market
New Welfare Regime and Homelessness
EU Issues
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
3. Post Socialist / Post Accession
New Welfare Regime(s)
CIVIL
SOCIETY
NGO INFORMAL
FAMILY ECONOMY
WELFARE
FINANCIAL
POLICY STRUCTURAL
STRESS TRANSITION
TO MARKET
ECONOMY
STATE MARKET
PRIVATE INTERESTS
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
4. Elements in the new welfare regimes
(After Hegedus, 2009)
STATE
Weak Government
Capacity of public sector
Political democracy (wobbly pillar)
MARKET
Dominance of private interests
Informal economy a constraint on efficient welfare programs
CIVIL SOCIETY
Limited role of donor agencies / NGOs
Role of Family – weak(ening)
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
5. HOMELESSNESS IN EASTERN
EUROPE
Structural Changes of Transition
Increased vulnerability of marginalised groups
in all transition countries
Structural Causes
BUT perception is individual rough sleeping
Specific Issues (more than in EU-15)
Roma
Restitution
Children
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
6. MPHASIS
Strategic Co-ordination
Weak in all countries
Profile
Data poor; structural causes important
Perception / Definition still rough sleeping
State Provision
Limited in scale and form
NGO Role
Importance varies (Czech, Hungary, Slovenia)
Lacks capacity and stable funding
Impact of EU and non-national NGOs
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
7. CIVIL SOCIETY ISSUES
NGO Sector
Capacity (Hradecký; Salomon)
Influence “whispering at the back door”
Regulation and Service Quality
Too prescriptive ? – allow innovation
Professionalisation / Social Work Training
Accommodation standards, forms of provision
Funding – level, decentralisation, donor
Re-familialised countries (Hantrais, 2004)
Poland (private) – Czech (mixed) – Hungary (public)
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
8. THE STATE
REGULATION AND FUNDING
Strong regulation but weaker inspection
Limited Funding – Decentralisation issues
Limited state role in provision / purchaser-provider
Structural Housing Issues
Public - Stock, allocation
Private – Finance impacts
Institutional Issues
Children / care discharge
Prisoners
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
9. Market
Privatisation of State Sector
Weak allocation framework / access
Institutional / legal structure
Emerging Housing Finance Systems
Different institutional solutions (embryonic)
High borrowing in foreign currencies
Housing costs and income / affordability
Restitution – creating private rental sector
Diversity in legal enforcement and regulation
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
10. Diversity in Service Provision
(After Hantrais)
Czech
D Slovakia
E Hungary
C
O Slovenia
M
M
O
D
I
F
I Estonia
E Latvia Poland
D Lithuania
Romania
Bulgaria
DE-FAMILIALISED
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
11. New Welfare Regime
Observatory
Conservative post-socialist (Central Europe)
Liberal post-socialist (Baltic)
Hegedus
Mixed – Hybrid regime
Liberal – Mediterranean – South American
Pressures
Fiscal Pressure
Role of Family
Labour Market weaknesses / informal economy
Housing market weaknesses
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
12. Implications for Homelessness
Scale and Profile
Increase in number and type (chronic, repeat)
More families, young, women
State Role
Lack of co-ordination continuing
Purchaser-provider nexus not changing
Services
Limited in geographical coverage and form
Quality limited by funding problems and reduction of
EU role
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
13. EU ISSUES
Ethos / Measuring Homelessness
Recognise non-conventional dwellings issue
Over-crowding and inadequate housing
Indicators adopted in July 2009
Role of Census 2011
Quality Issues
Structural Housing problems
Service Quality and Developing Capacity
Build Research Capacity – target research
European Research Conference, Budapest, 17th September 2010
UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING EXCLUSION IN ENHR
THE NEW EUROPEAN CONTEXT
Notes de l'éditeur
Introduction FEANTSA Information from FEANTSA’s members Specific look at some countries (not IE and UK)