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Homelessness is a global challenge.

The United Nations Human Settlements Program estimates that 1.1 billion people live in inadequate housing, and the best data available suggest that more than 100 million people have no housing at all.

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This report is an important building block to help the Government of New Zealand to make housing policy decisions. It assesses the key parts of New Zealand's housing system; examining market renting, homeownership, new housing, state and social housing, housing assistance, homelessness and emergency housing, security of tenure and the social costs and benefits of housing quality. With homeownership now at a 60-year low and...
This report by Grassroots Leadership Action Research Collective (ARC) and Gathering Ground Theater, Homes Not Handcuffs, sheds light on increasing criminalization of those experiencing homelessness in Austin, Texas. The key findings of the report make clear that criminalization is harmful and ineffective at connecting folks experiencing homelessness to housing supports. There is need to do better than ticketing and arrests to...
To kick off the European week of cities and regions, FEANTSA launched the cities Toolkit for Ending Homelessness on October 8, 2018. The toolkit provides cities, local and municipal authorities with a framework to make a meaningful impact in the fight to reduce and end homelessness in Europe by 2030. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), signed and endorsed by each EU Member State, has called for an end to...
This report from the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee looks at recent homelessness data in Wales, four years out from the Housing Wales Act, in order to make recommendations to the Welsh Government with regard to preventing homelessness in the country and helping those already experiencing it to find a pathway off the street. The Committee recommends that the Welsh Government abolish the concept of "...
This qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 16 young people (aged 35 and under) living in the private rented sector (PRS) in both England and Scotland who were not in full-time education and who had low to middle incomes. The young people also provided photos of their home to act as discussion points. The study explicitly targeted those on lower incomes, for their views, have not featured prominently in research...
This paper introduces the SHARE framework, the first phase of a longer-term project that the Centre for Homelessness Impact is developing in tandem with its partners and collaborators. As a contribution to current debate it provides a birds-eye view of what it takes to achieve better outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. Based on current evidence, it also outlines five strategies – summarised in the mnemonic SHARE –...
Left Out examines the impact of the disproportionate number of housing issues faced by LGBTQ+ people, with a specific focus on older people; those experiencing domestic violence; asylum seekers and refugees; and those who are experiencing homelessness. This report draws together evidence which looks at LGBTQ+ housing as an issue from different perspectivesand offers  recommendations which reflect common issues across research...
The purpose of this report is to draw attention to the intersection of Brexit and homelessness in Great Britain. In this report, drawing on contributions from experts in the homelessness sector and related areas, authors set out an overview of the key factors that are likely to impact upon homelessness and homeless people in Great Britain. The report aims is to help policymakers in central and local government, and the...
This plan outlines the evidence-based solutions that can end homelessness in Great Britain, built round the belief that everyone should have – and is ready for – a safe, stable place to live. It contains solutions for the long-term, rather than to suit current political favour, building on what has worked at home and abroad to end homelessness. The plan shows the costs of preventing and solving homelessness for people, along...
Housing First (HF) is an alternative homelessness intervention strategy, aimed at people with complex needs, particularly rough sleepers. It is not seen as a replacement for all homelessness services and strategies. This paper provides an overview of the HF model and discusses available evidence on the model’s outcomes. Policy developments in England and the devolved administrations are also covered.
This report describes the findings from a small-scale, exploratory, qualitative research project that explores reasons why some people return to sleeping rough after time off the streets. The research team identified four key areas for analysis: push factors; pull factors; holes in the safety net; access to services. The report also included a range of recommendations to prevent people from sleeping rough again.  The research...
Many aspects of ending homelessness in Scotland have been addressed in the first three reports from the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group (HRSAG). All of the work to date has been informed by discussions with more than 400 people with recent or current experience of homelessness, from across Scotland. This approach has also clearly enabled the HRSAG to work quickly to develop coherent and workable recommendations...
This report provides a fresh analysis of data on hidden homeless populations in unsupported temporary accommodation (UTA) in order to lift the lid on the true extent of homelessness in England. UTA is private, short-stay accommodation in which households do not have permanent residency status and limited access to local authority support to find settled accommodation. It includes Bed & Breakfasts (B&Bs),short-stay...
Housing affordability and liveability are emerging as the most challenging social policy issues in Europe, with the ability to access housing adversely affecting young people, those with dependent family members, and migrants. Shelters are the physical interface of the staircase approach for people experiencing homelessness, with a succession of preparatory interventions, from initial reception to social reintegration....
This interim report addresses the Scottish Government's new plan to eradicate rough sleeping and transform the use of temporary accommodation (TA). By questioning the purpose of TA and subsequent relationship with supported accommodation (SA), the authors offer data-based considerations to improve the new program and the future of homelessness work in Scotland. 
The wide-ranging plan covers rough sleeping prevention, rapid response to rough sleeping, sustainable accommodation, as well as solutions and support to ensure that people on the street can move on with their lives. The plan outlines what the Mayor of London will do now, within his current powers and resources; what could be done with more government investments; and what other changes to structures, legislation or other...
Homeless people often suffer from complex and chronic comorbidities, have high rates of morbidity and die at much younger ages than the general population. Due to a complex combination of physical, psychosocial and addiction problems at the end of life, they often have limited access to palliative care. Both the homeless and healthcare providers experience a lot of barriers. Therefore, providing palliative care that fits the...
This report examines youth homelessness in the UK. According to research, an estimated 86,000 young people approached their local authorities for help as they were homeless or at risk of homelessness in the UK in 2016/17. The majority (58%) of young people presenting as homeless or at risk of homelessness in England were not recorded as having received positive actions leading to their homelessness being successfully...
The overall aim of the study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current situation, including key stakeholder and temporary accommodation resident perspectives, to inform future policy development. This interim report details emerging findings from the initial stages of the study, these being: a review of existing research and literature; qualitative interview with 16 expert key informants; and analysis of national...
Is the common pressure group and media refrain that ‘we are all two paycheques away from homelessness’ justified by the evidence? Drawing on multivariate analysis of two cross-sectional datasets (the ‘Scottish Household Survey’ and the UK-wide ‘Poverty and Social Exclusion’) Survey and one longitudinal data-set (the ‘British Cohort Study 1970’), this paper provides a systematic account of the social distribution of...