Individuals foster mutual assistance among themselves.
In the heart of Hamburg, a pressing issue continues to unfold: homelessness. The city center, particularly near the main train station, has become a daily battlefield for hundreds of homeless individuals, many of whom hail from Southeast Europe.
These people, often maligned as beggars and living a lifestyle deemed "socially unacceptable," are in need of more than just sympathy. Their survival money not only sustains them but also helps children back in their home countries attend school.
The lack of suitable accommodation for the homeless population in Hamburg has been a topic of concern. District Administrator Ralf Neubauer has announced a model project aimed at providing accommodation in single rooms, a step towards addressing this issue. However, the current offer for accommodation caters only to those with a claim to benefits and lacks care staff, making it insufficient for many in need of intensive care.
The city's social authority has also promised to create separate accommodation for care-dependent homeless people. Smaller, decentralized shelters and day centers are considered more useful than large shelters, as help can be more sustainable with less personnel.
Street social worker Julien Peters has been interviewed about the alleged begging gangs in Hamburg. While specific solutions proposed by Peters were not found in the retrieved documents, general knowledge suggests that street social workers like him typically recommend providing immediate access to shelter and basic necessities, offering integrated support services, creating long-term affordable housing options, engaging with homeless individuals through outreach, and coordinating with local governments and NGOs to address systemic causes of poverty and homelessness.
The lack of care staff in emergency shelters is another concern, especially for those who are heavily dependent on care. A concrete need for the homeless population is having someone to support a continental wheelchair user when they need to use the toilet.
Prejudices against these individuals are prevalent, with misconceptions that they are organized or criminals. However, the truth is they are often relatives, friends, and acquaintances who support each other. Lack of storage for personal belongings can lead to these people ending up alone on the street with their luggage, exacerbating their struggles.
The city has already offered similar accommodation in Eiffestraße, which has stabilized homeless people, especially those in poor health or with noticeable psychological issues. However, the issue of increasing poverty among the homeless population in Hamburg remains a significant challenge.
The shuttle bus ending at the main train station releases hundreds of homeless people every day, causing a new crisis in the city center. The additional day care center that is to replace the market hall does not address the root causes of homelessness.
The model project announced by district administrator Ralf Neubauer, if it includes unconditional accommodation in small, low-threshold, barrier-free units with care staff and social workers, could help stabilize homeless people permanently. Welfare organizations have warned about the potential impact of EU citizens not being permanently accommodated for legal reasons, underscoring the urgency of finding effective solutions.
- Despite the issue of homelessness in Hamburg gaining prominence, the city's social authority is yet to address the shortage of care staff in emergency shelters, which is particularly crucial for those heavily dependent on care, such as continental wheelchair users.
- As political debates and general-news stories often focus on the perception of homeless individuals as beggers or criminals, Julien Peters, a street social worker, urges immediate access to shelter, basic necessities, integrated support services, affordable housing, outreach programs, and coordination with local governments and NGOs to effectively tackle the systemic causes of poverty and homelessness, and to combat the prevalent prejudices against this vulnerable population.
