Ensuring adequate housing and combating homelessness is an issue that requires complex and multifaceted measures by the state. International standards clearly indicate that homelessness is a much broader concept than living on the streets and, among many other forms, includes living in housing services, institutions with different purposes, as well as in inadequate and overcrowded housing. On the other hand, the obligation of the state to guarantee adequate housing is not limited to providing physical space to people but also includes providing access to essential services and infrastructure, physical and financial accessibility, protection against eviction, and more.

Despite the severity of the homelessness issue in the country, guaranteeing adequate housing has not become a government priority for years. Work on the systemic challenges in this area has not yet been carried out - there is no national housing strategy and action plan, the relevant legislation is extremely flawed, and in the absence of a proper understanding by the central government of its responsibilities, municipalities are focusing only on fragmented and temporary housing solutions for certain groups.

Given the current context, the Social Justice Center is expanding its discussion of housing and homelessness policies and assessing the needs of different homeless groups. The document, on the one hand, reviews the situation of the beneficiaries of social housing and the persons living in the shelter for people with mental disabilities, as well as the transitional nature of these services. On the other hand, the document assesses the largest informal settlement in the country, the so-called “Dream City” and the main needs of its residents, as well as the content of state obligations undertaken towards them. The research process also focuses on the needs of women, who are most acutely affected by homelessness and lack of adequate housing.

The assessment of services and problematic issues identified in the study will ultimately enable the analysis of the degree of compliance and adequacy of the national system with the needs of the homeless persons, as well as the preparation of relevant recommendations for central and local authorities.

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