Faced with the worrying increase in figures, Brussels associations and businesses are calling for political commitment to combat homelessness.
Brussels, 18 June 2025.
9,777. That is the exact number of people currently living without stable accommodation in Brussels, an increase of 25% in just two years! These figures were revealed in the latest census published on 18 June by Bruss'Help. This is a reality that is becoming entrenched in the very heart of our capital city.
Key figures from the count
- Almost 10,000 people experiencing homelessness and poor housing conditions, including:
- More than 1,600 minors
- Nearly 1,000 people sleeping rough (a 20% increase)
- Over 2,000 people in squats and temporary occupations
As leaders of Brussels‐based businesses and organisations in the social sector, we cannot remain silent. It is our duty to unite and call for a strong political response to this challenge affecting our region.
This appeal comes in a particular context: one year after the June 2024 regional elections, the Brussels Capital Region still has no government. This political deadlock cannot justify delaying measures to address the economic and social emergencies facing Brussels residents and their enterprises – in short, our entire city.
A shared concern
Homelessness is both a social and a socio-economic issue. Its consequences, alongside human suffering, fuel insecurity, undermine urban quality of life and harm Brussels’s appeal as a place to work, live and invest.
In recent years, several companies have voiced concerns about the deterioration of neighbourhoods, such as at the Porte de Namur. The latest count confirms these signs: exclusion is taking root and spreading.
We cannot endorse hasty, one-off measures without considering their consequences. We need sustainable, structural solutions.
Our three pillars for concrete solutions
- Create accessible housing for all Brussels residents.
Access to housing is fundamental to combating homelessness. We call for increased investment and the unlocking of building potential, including social housing targeted at the most vulnerable. - Strengthen social and health services supporting people experiencing homelessness.
Aid services can no longer absorb the high demand. Structural funding and increased resources are needed to support reintegration through housing, combined with holistic care: physical and mental health services, administrative assistance, addiction support, etc. - Implement a dignified and realistic migration policy.
No measure will solve homelessness without structural solutions for undocumented people and asylum seekers abandoned by the federal government.
The role of the private sector
Social actors and businesses stand ready to contribute as partners:
- Invest in affordable housing via effective public–private partnerships.
- Support the provision of property to Social Rental Agencies (SVK)
- Invest in and finance housing solutions for everyone
- Support enhanced pathways to independence.
- Donations (goods, food, skills and financial) to organisations
- Offering internships, jobs or training via partners like Duo for a Job, Interskillar, Interface 3
- Active collaboration with Public Welfare Centres (CPAS), social-economy operators and local reintegration initiatives
- Advocate for an inclusive migration policy.
Better labour integration as soon as legally possible is essential. Undocumented workers must have equal rights and access to legal employment, for example by removing the requirement to leave the territory to obtain a single permit. This is vital for both worker dignity and combating undeclared work.
Why we mobilise
- Because Brussels, as a major city-capital, requires specific federal measures, including regional refinancing.
- Because social cohesion and diversity are the foundations of sustainable prosperity.
- Because Brussels’s appeal depends on its care for the most vulnerable.
- Because a thriving economy and a well-functioning labour market are essential to lift people out of poverty.
- Because tomorrow’s city must be built with all its residents, not at the expense of the most fragile.
- Because without tackling social division, Brussels cannot fulfil its full potential.
Signatories
- BECI – Brussels Enterprises Commerce and Industry, Lisa Isnard – Secretary-General
- AMA – Federation of Reception Centres and Homelessness Services, Christine Vanhessen – Director
- Fédération Bico, Birger Blancke – Director
- Samusocial, Sébastien Roy – General Director
- DIOGENES, Laurent Demoulin – Director
- DUNE, Frédérique Bartholeyens – Co-Director
- Smes, Tanya Proulx – Co-Director
- L’Îlot, Ariane Dierickx – General Director
- Street Nurses, Emilie Meessen – Coordinator