Homeless organizations in Belgium go on strike for the first time in five years

About 60 companies wrote an open letter to the government

The strike, the first in the Belgian homeless services sector in five years, aimed to highlight major problems facing homeless services and called on government officials to take urgent action.

About 60 organizations wrote an open letter to Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region Rudi Vervoort. The appeal outlines four key issues and offers potential solutions.

“With 2,144,000 Belgians, or 18.7 percent of the population, at risk of poverty or social exclusion, it is essential to take action,” the organizations say. “This alarming situation is exacerbated by the constant increase in the number of people seeking help and support. As a result, existing care facilities have been overcrowded for several years, despite an increase in the number of places available.”

According to the same Statbel data, poverty threatens 415 thousand people in Brussels (34 percent of the population), 7 thousand of whom are already homeless or have poor housing. The analysis showed an increase of almost 20 percent in two years, according to Bruss’help data for October 2022.

The organizations condemn the ongoing “oversaturation of all emergency reception and integration points”, exacerbated by the national policy of turning away asylum seekers, in force since 2021. They also point to a lack of access to housing for vulnerable groups as a reason for this oversupply of services.

This situation fuels “competition among the homeless” and between the organizations themselves. Teams are often forced to make difficult decisions by helping one person at the expense of another.

Associations are warning of increasing levels of violence in care and accommodation facilities, targeting both residents and staff. Violent acts are caused in part by “destructive competition and the subsequent frustration experienced by those affected.” The fact is that, according to experts, Belgium’s homeless population is characterized by addiction, violence and mental health problems.

“Crisis follows crisis, leaving no respite for the teams on the ground,” the organizations emphasize. Often, a tense atmosphere leads to the spread of emotional burnout among workers who are faced with psychologically difficult situations, as well as staff shortages due to difficulties in recruiting staff.

To address these problems, strikers emphasize the fundamental importance of providing affordable housing. This will enable people living in precarious conditions to look to the future, making housing an integral part of any long-term solution.

Such a decision must be accompanied by a respectful welcome for all, with priority given to the most vulnerable when necessary. Organizations are also demanding better planning and anticipation of future crises.

“Homelessness, by definition, is not a crisis,” explain representatives of the organizations. “We need to move away from an always-on approach to crisis management that drains resources and burns up the energy needed to develop a real plan to end homelessness.”