Life on the street has become tougher, says Hinz & Kunzt social worker Stephan Karrenbauer. He wants to build a house with those affected

The Senate has announced that it will create 1,500 new places for homeless people. Does that solve the problem?

In the news, social associations have been calling for this for years. It is correct to increase the number of seats so far. But it would need an overall concept. Also for the transition: How do people get out of the emergency shelters back into regular apartments?

One would have to do housing construction specifically for the homeless so that they have a chance at all on the housing market. As long as there is no such thing, they always have to line up in the back of a chain of people who also need cheap housing.

You recently came up with another idea: a home built by the homeless. When homeless people renovate a house themselves and build their own homes, you can also show that they definitely want a home. That it is not how many think that homeless people do not want it at all.

Renovate A Property

The homeless could lend a hand and renovate a property as with those homes that need roofing renovations (https://www.tampabayroofs.com). There are many craftsmen: electricians, bricklayers, plasterers. I do believe that you can put together a project like this with voluntary support. It could be coordinated by a private group or anyone who wishes to put their hands on it for charity’s sake. But if the city does that, it might be the fastest.

Winter Emergency Program

They are accused of using the winter emergency program. Anyone who thinks something like this should spend a night in the winter emergency program. You will quickly notice: Nobody goes in there voluntarily. Some people may have jobs, but earn so little money that they cannot afford normal accommodation.

The winter emergency program doesn’t really support exploitative employment because if the program didn’t exist, people would sleep on the street, under cars or bridges. Employers must be held liable for such employment relationships.

What happens if the winter emergency program ends on April 1st?

The authority has promised that no one with a legal claim will have to go back on the road. That means they still have to make a few hundred places. But this must not be another emergency program, it must have a better standard. But the so-called Eastern European migrant workers are sent back onto the streets.