Help for the homeless: Action on September 9th on the Ratingen marketplace!

Help for the homeless: Action on September 9th on the Ratingen marketplace!

On Wednesday, September 9th, the Ratingen market square will become the central location for the commitment against homelessness. On the occasion of the Day of the Homeless, the homeless assistance service of the Catholic Women's Social Service (SkF) and three other specialist advice centers in the Mettmann district are organizing an information stand. This offers a platform for the important concerns of homeless people from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The posters contain messages that result from a comprehensive survey of those affected. Lintorfer reports that the main demands include affordable housing, access to assistance and social security.

“The voices of homeless people are missing from the political debate,” notes Karin Knakowski. Her colleague, Lisanne Rickert, adds: “People can’t find apartments, there’s a lack of political emphasis.” This painful problem, especially in the lower price segment, is also exacerbated by the current housing shortage in the Mettmann district. Such cases of concern are no longer isolated cases in Germany, as the statistics show.

The current situation of homelessness

According to the, the problem of homelessness is Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs diverse. The research report on the “emergence, course and structure of homelessness” provides information about the background. A decisive factor in the loss of housing is often rent debts, which in many cases serve as the starting point for the downward spiral of homelessness. As of May 31, 2018, between 313,000 and 337,000 people were homeless in Germany. An alarming number that shows how serious the situation is.

But what are the causes? Personal strokes of fate, such as the loss of a partner or unemployment, put many people under pressure. In addition, the responsible authorities are often confusing, which makes it difficult for those affected to find suitable help. “Rent debt is the most common cause of homelessness,” according to the research results. It is repeatedly emphasized that access to social support is crucial.

Need for political action

In view of the ongoing problem, the organizers of the action on September 9th are calling for urgent action from the municipalities, the district and the federal government. These include, among other things, immediate programs for affordable housing, binding social housing quotas for new buildings and secured financing for prevention offers to secure housing. “These demands must be taken seriously in order to combat the housing shortage,” is the opinion of those involved on site.

If you look at the bigger picture, you can see that homelessness in Germany is a visible form of absolute poverty, especially in big cities. According to current estimates, around 532,000 people live without their own home - including around 47,300 who are actually homeless. Many live in collective accommodation or with relatives, which is known as hidden homelessness, and rents in urban areas are constantly rising.

How are the concerns of the homeless perceived in society? Reactions are often divided: some people are helpful, while others are even considering banning begging. There is a clear need for action, and the action in Ratingen is aimed at exactly that - listening to those affected and stronger political accusations are needed in order to change the situation sustainably.

But structures also need to be improved at the individual level. Homeless people often lack personal support in confusing offers of help, which makes access to support even more difficult. A call to action that needs to be accomplished together.