New Awo concept: This is how Erlangen-Höchstadt wants to help the homeless!

New Awo concept: This is how Erlangen-Höchstadt wants to help the homeless!

In Erlangen-Höchstadt, things are going really hot in terms of helping the homeless. The Arbeiterwohlfahrt (Awo) has a fresh concept in the pipeline that is intended to provide relief for the communities. How fraenkischertag.de reports, the municipalities are facing major challenges, and the Awo wants to break new ground with its initiative.

The new concept has a clear goal: It is intended to relieve as much burden as possible on the cities and communities in the Erlangen-Höchstadt district by reorganizing the provision of accommodation. However, the municipality of Baiersdorf in particular is somewhat hesitant as to how nn.de has determined. This raises the question of what the cooperation between the municipalities and the Awo will ultimately look like.

The situation in Germany

However, the challenges of homelessness are not a local phenomenon. According to the OECD, more than two million people in OECD and EU countries lived homeless in 2024. Where is this trend leading? Political analyst Ali Bargu has stressed the need for reforms to effectively address the problem. Over half of the EU and OECD countries are already implementing national strategies to combat homelessness, and Germany also has such a strategy in the works vorwaerts.de highlights.

The goal of this German strategy is to develop sustainable solutions to overcome housing and homelessness by 2030. To this end, an action plan is being worked on that includes three main areas of focus: building more affordable and social housing, expanding housing benefit and introducing quality standards for emergency accommodation. Better standards could help the people affected significantly, for example by providing separate accommodation for women and men.

A look at Austria

In a broader European context, however, it becomes clear that some countries such as Austria cannot yet come up with national strategies. However, new approaches have already been taken in Vienna, based on the Housing First approach, which has been successfully implemented there since 2012. Practice has shown that long-term, secure housing is a positive development. Initiatives like the “Chancenhäuser” in Vienna offer a space with social support, which is invaluable for many of those affected.

If you look at the entire context of homelessness in Europe and beyond, it quickly becomes clear: reliable data and preventive measures are needed to respond effectively to the challenges. Early help is essential, particularly for vulnerable groups, such as young people or those released from prison.