Currently, around 1.3 million people are homeless in Europe, and the crisis is worsening due to economic challenges, housing shortages, social exclusion, migration, and systemic issues. To address these urgent concerns, policymakers, social leaders, experts, and financial actors will gather in Strasbourg on December 3 for the “Addressing Homelessness through Social Investment” conference co-organised by the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB).
“The Council of Europe’s response to this challenge is necessarily a Human rights-based one: people facing homelessness, especially the most vulnerable, have to be helped and not penalised. Be understood and not become victims of indifference or, worse, stereotypes.” Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (CoE), Gianluca Esposito, stated ahead of the conference. “The path forward involves urgent, coordinated efforts at both local and international levels to ensure that homelessness is reduced and eventually eliminated, making housing a right accessible to all.”
This conference aims to analyse current trends and identify effective housing strategies that recognise housing as a fundamental right. Local authorities will present practical, housing-led solutions that provide immediate access to stable housing without requiring individuals to meet specific criteria.
Vice-Governor for Target Group Countries (CEB), Tomáš Boček, stressed that “CEB’s social mandate emphasises social and affordable housing, including finding permanent housing solutions for the homeless. CEB’s operations have shown that prioritising sustainable, long-term funding and adopting appropriate financing models is essential for the long-term success of housing-led solutions.”
The CEB has published a discussion paper on financing solutions in France and Portugal, highlighting how various actors can support project implementation. Key speakers include Aurora Floridia, Jimmy Moloney, and Johannes Böhmer, who will discuss strategic approaches to combat homelessness based on Council of Europe standards and the European Social Charter.
The European Union supports this event under the InvestEU Advisory Hub.
