Homelessness in Germany is a significant social issue, one that is estimated to affect around 678,000 people.[1] This figure includes about 372,000 people that are accommodated (in refugee shelters, etc.) by public services, e.g. by the municipalities.[2] Since 2014, there has been a 150% increase in the homeless population within the country.[3] Reportedly, around 22,000 of the homeless population are children.
In addition, the country has yet to publish statistics on homelessness at a Federal Level[4] despite it being an ongoing and widespread matter.
In 1933, the Nazi Party passed a Law "against Habitual and Dangerous Criminals", which allowed for the relocation of beggars, homeless, and the unemployed to concentration camps.[5]
In 1942, British bombing raids destroyed a total of 3.6 million homes, with 7.5 million Germans left homeless.[6]
The homeless levels have risen more than 4% between 2017–2018. In addition, according to BAGW's report, refugees are more likely to be homeless.[7] The number of homeless people with a refugee background increased by 5.9%. A majority of the homeless population is men (three in four). There is a worrying increase in the amount of young homeless in some countries including Germany.
The Federal Government acknowledges that homelessness in Germany is caused by multiple factors, "such as financial, domestic, and individual psychosocial reasons" and that it is not merely rooted in the lack of affordable accommodation According to Global Homelessness Statistics, "Around 50% of poor households spend more than 40% of their disposable income on housing".[8] The Berlin Homeless Shelter Association provides housing to the homeless population in Berlin, Germany.
Research has been conducted to investigative proactive ways to prevent homelessness. People being evicted from their homes is one of the most common factors for homelessness. Some instruments used to stop the eviction process, include financial support, legal provision for cases of hardship, and assistance negotiations with landlords.[9] As stated by Dr. Busch-Geertsema, coordinator of the European Observatory on Homelessness, prevention is categorized in several ways: primary prevention (larger risk groups), secondary prevention (those being threatened with eviction), and tertiary prevention (persons who are already homeless).