Funds for the homeless area
07-03-2008

In the light of a homeless strategy, the state has earmarked about 120 million DKKR each year through out the next four years, to strengthen the effort within the area of the homeless. Will this have any effect?

It can only be seen as joyful news that 500 million DKKR has been earmarked within “satspuljen” (satspuljen is a governmental pool), which will be distributed during the next four years, concerning the fact that there has to be done a great effort in reducing the extent of homelessness. The 500 million DKKR will thus be distributed with 120 million DKKR each year during the period 2008 – 2011. 

The goal with this effort is, in correspondence to the homeless strategy which was determined in the fall of 2007, to reduce the number of homeless, whom involuntarily sleeps in the streets, to find other solutions for young people than a place in a shelter, to limit the stays at shelters till 3-4 months for citizens who are ready to move into a home of their own with the right support, and to find solutions to housing situations before discharges from treatment centres and releases from prisons.

There has been attached great importance to the fact that it is the municipalities that have to bear the task, and mainly the large municipalities, which have the largest problems concerning homelessness, will get the funds. Beside this, all the municipalities can apply for housing support through an application fund.

It has been pointed out that the municipalities contribute to the fulfilling of the objects of the homeless strategy, and that a complete scheme for solving the problems concerning the homeless is being made within the municipalities.

One can ask whether enough funds have been earmarked. In this connection, one has to include that it is prospective that any municipality already has taken responsibility towards helping the citizens who are homeless. 

What I see as even more important to be concerned of is whether the schemes and the demands that follow the money are kept. I have, as far as it goes, no doubts that every municipality will do there best and will start many good initiatives. But will there be enough exacts goals? Will there be co-ordination between the different administrations, and each doing their best? Will there be ensured collaboration between the municipalities concerning exchanges of knowledge? And will the state follow the effort and secure the co-ordination, the research follow-up and the attention of the matter, which is crucial for the joint achievement?

There are several reasons why I believe it to be necessary to ask these questions. Partly because one can see how Norway and Sweden, in the light of the knowledge gained from continuous counts of homeless, must point out that they have not been capable of reducing the number of homeless considerably, and by the way have not placed importance on the overall control. Partly because one can see how Great Brittan for one has invested a great deal in reducing the number of homeless, who sleep in the streets, and for another has had a great overall control and following research – and how they have succeeded.

But I think that the most important thing is to look back and try to understand what there has been done in this country, and how it has succeeded and not succeeded.  

In 1998 and 1999 there was also a discussion concerning homelessness, and funds were also given to improve the effort. You can visit the Parliament’s website: www.folketinget.dk/Samling/19981/beslutningsforslag_som_fremsat/B74.htm and read the following statement, which was made as a closure of a debate in the light of proposition of decision B 74 (made January 12^th 1999) concerning “partly to relieve an immediate housing problem for the homeless, partly to solve this returning housing problem in the long term.” 

The then Minister of Social Affairs ends the debate with the following: I would like to put in here that it is after all an important tight-rope walk, where it is necessary that we stick to the fact that the responsibility for the effort is placed in the counties and municipalities. And there is always a weighing out how the parliament and the government at the same time take care of their responsibility. But it is important to hang on to, that the existing rules impose a responsibility on the municipalities and the counties, and it will in my opinion be difficult, if not impossible, to create a central responsibility in helping these persons. … //… But there is a positive commitment, and we will now continue to work on this, after we have received the money in connection with the fund rate negotiations (in Danish “satspuljeforhandlingerne”) and the Budget. This is the status on this action plan, which was initiated last year, and in the light of this, I do not think that there is need of this initiative, and thereby reject the proposal.

I would like to remind you that after this debate there was not any reduction in the number of homeless who use the shelters, that the number of homeless who sleep in the streets hardly is reduced and there has time after time been public discussions concerning what there can be done to solve homelessness. 

It would be a shame if this were the solution, for all of us but none the least for all of those who for some reason have to live as homeless.        

 Preben Brandt