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Mental health is one of the key elements of homelessness because it can be both the cause and the consequence of living on the street. Access to quality support and treatment is therefore essential for the sustainable reintegration of homeless patients with psychological or psychiatric disorders.

On Monday 25 September, Street Nurses went on air with Arabel to discuss its memorandum ahead of the 2024 elections! We were delighted to be able to share our demands with Tarik Laabi and all the listeners!

Among the precarious population in the Brussels-Capital Region, homeless people are the most vulnerable, and require rapid access to adequate housing and commensurate with their income. In order to meet its commitments and stem the growing phenomenon of homelessness, the Brussels Government must establish a quota of social housing reserved for homeless people with a valid residence permit.

Brussels, 20 September 2023

Ahead of the Belgian elections in June 2024, the non-profit organisation Street Nurses is publishing its political memorandum with, as its main demand, priority access to social housing for homeless people in Brussels. As the number of homeless and inadequately housed people continues to rise, it is imperative that the next Brussels government commits to the fight against homelessness through concrete measures.

We want a genuine structural policy to end homelessness in Brussels! For the past few days, homeless and undocumented people have been in the spotlight. The Gare du Midi is now the scene of security measures aimed at putting an end to the station's persistent problems. The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration has decided to temporarily suspend the reception of men within the Fedasil network, which will increase the number of people sleeping rough.

How to end homelessness in Belgium by 2030? Find here and in our new report the key elements, the highlights and the perspective of the debates of the conference “From dream to reality: ending homelessness in Belgium” held by Street Nurses in October 2022.

On Tuesday 21 March 2023, part of the Street Nurses team met the Federal Minister for Social Integration and the Fight against Poverty, Karine Lalieux. On the agenda were constructive exchanges around a common vision: that of a Belgium where homelessness is no more.

Housing is the solution to homelessness. And, conveniently, the right to decent housing is laid down in the Belgian Constitution. In 2020 there were 5,000 homeless and badly housed people in Brussels, and successive crises made the situation even worse. How is that possible?

Access to affordable, durable homes of good quality is key to the abolition of homelessness. In this context, the Brussels government must take structural measures to get people off the street. That’s why Street Nurses, in the run-up to the 2024 elections, advocates the introduction of a quota to facilitate housing access for homeless people.

This year Street Nurses participates in the Housing Action Day movement, and our team will be present at the demonstrations on 26 March 2023, both in Brussels and Ghent. Because without durable and affordable homes there will never come an end to homelessness. That must change. Are you in?

The Belgian Minister for Urban Policy, Caroline Gennez, announced on Wednesday 18 January, in an interview with VRT News, the investment of 10 million in the Housing First model for the support of homeless people.

During the national conference “From dream to reality: ending homelessness in Belgium”, on 14 October 2022, Street Nurses brought together homelessness professionals, politicians, and citizens to reflect on actions and concrete measures towards ending homelessness at the national level.

The day was marked by constructive and valuable discussions which can trigger the necessary political changes. In anticipation of the report on the conference, here is a summary of the discussions with pictures of the event.