Presentation given by Ruth Owen, FEANTSA at the FEANTSA/French Permanent Representation to the EU seminar, 'Housing First: A Key Element of European Homelessness Strategies', 23rd March 2012.

1. Homelessness: Key
Opportunities in the Current EU
Framework
Ruth Owen
Ruth.owen@feantsa.org

2. Overview
 EU framework
 Cohesion Policy (ERDF and ESF)
 Social innovation and experimentation
 Some key activities under PROGRESS 2012
 FEANTSA activities

3. Cohesion Policy
 Current period: 2007-2013
 Forthcoming period: 2014 - 2020

4. Cohesion Policy 2007 – 2013
ERDF
 Since May 2010 possible for each MS to use up to 3% of ERDF
funding for housing interventions for marginalised communities:
 renovation of common parts of buildings in multiple occupancy
 renovation or changing building owned by public authorities or NGOs into
housing for marginalised groups
 renovation and replacement of existing housing.
 Potentially allows for renovation of shelters and transformation of other
buildings into shelters, but also transformation of shelters into supported
housing
 Re-allocation of unspent money within Operational Programmes
 Most MS underspend but technically difficult to reallocate in short
time frame
 Number of examples where this has been taken up – so far little focus
on homelessness
 NB: the managing authorities received training on this from DG
Regio, 21 March 2012
 Time is running out….!

5. Cohesion Policy 2007 – 2013
ESF
 In the Members States
 Priorities defined by Operational Programmes
 Access to employment and social inclusion = priority area
 Transnationality
 Support for transnational cooperation in all policy areas identified
for ESF interventions
 Including social inclusion of disadvantaged people and combating
discrimination in the labour market,
 Learning networks
 Networks of ESF Managing Authorities and Intermediate Bodies
 Focus on specific thematic and governance issues are now up and
running (co-financed by ESF Technical Assistance)
 Call in 2012

6. Cohesion Policy 2014 – 2020
 Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 legislative package
 Commission proposals published, now going through legislative
procedure
 alignment with the new long-term objectives of the EU2020 strategy to
promote jobs and growth
 including poverty target (at least 20 million)
 By 2013 Partnership Contracts to be agreed between MS and EC
 assess development needs
 define national priorities supporting delivery on the Europe 2020
strategy
 combine ERDF and the ESF in "multi-fund" programmes
 targets that the Member States plan to reach by the end of the programming
period
 implementing agencies
 performance indicators
 opportunity to integrate homelessness in this framework

7. ESF 2014 - 2020
 Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
 one of four thematic objectives to be targeted by the ESF.
 at least 20 % of the ESF allocation should be dedicated to this
thematic objective, hence reinforcing the social dimension.
 This objective can be reached through a range of
actions, including
 active inclusion
 enhancing access to affordable, sustainable and high-quality
services, including health care and social services of general
interest
 integration of marginalised communities
 Move away from the current predominant focus on
employment.
 More space for homelessness

8. ERDF 2014 - 2020
 Promotion of social inclusion and combating poverty,
including :
 “investing in health and social infrastructure which contribute to
national, regional and local development, reducing inequalities in
terms of health status and transition from institutional to
community-based services”.
 shift from homeless shelters (institutional) as the predominant
response to homelessness towards supported housing (community
based)??
 Focus on sustainable urban development in the
framework of EU cohesion policy
 at least 5% of the ERDF resources allocated for strategies
setting out integrated actions to tackle the economic,
environmental, climate and social challenges affecting urban
areas.
 Scope for infrastructure/housing element of
homelessness strategies to be supported.

9. Social Innovation and
experimentation
 High on the political agenda
 “The crisis has only confirmed the necessity for
change in the way we approach our social and
economic challenges. Innovation in its broadest sense
must be part of our response to today's challenges”
(José Manuel Durã Barroso, President of the
o
European Commission, Brussels, 17 March 2011)
 European Platform Against Poverty
 “design and implement programmes to promote social
innovation for the most vulnerable”.
 promote evidence-based social innovation, including social
experimentation
 Innovation Union Flagship

10. Tools to support social innovation
and experimentation
 EUPSCI:
 new financial instrument managed directly by the Commission
 combines PROGRESS, EURES and Microfinance Facility
 aim:
 to promote social change and innovation
 support policy coordination, sharing of best practices, and capacity-
building
 test and evaluate innovative policies (social experimentation)
 EUR 97 million (17% of PROGRESS is to be allocated to
experimental projects)
 support from the ESF for scaling up
 Opportunities for homelessness e.g.
 “Housing First Europe” (2010)
 2011 call – projects submitted on homelessness
 Lots of potential in relation to housing-led and Housing First

11. Some key areas for social
innovation and experimentation
 The cost-effectiveness of housing-led
approaches
 The effectiveness of different forms and
combinations of housing and social support;
 Prevention of homelessness;
 Sourcing housing
 the removal of barriers to social housing
 increasing the capacity of the private rental sector to
house homeless people
 Transformation of hostels

12. Tools to support social innovation
and experimentation ctnd
 Horizon 2020
 ESF
 ERDF
 Social business initiative
 Useful resources:
 DG Employment Methodological Guide
 DG Employment Examples of social
innovation in MS

13. PROGRESS 2012
 European Quality Framework for Social Services
(Sectoral)
 Call in 2012
 European Institute of Public Administrations (EIPA)
 Large-scale training programme on social inclusion
commissioned by DG Employment
 Peer Review programme
 Could be a focus on homelessness (selection of hosts and peers
happens through SPC)
 Call for tender for an academic network to enhance
capacity for Social Experimentation
 10 Social Experimentation projects to be funded under
the 2012 call (probably 5 this year)

14. Some Key FEANTSA activities
 Ongoing informal ministries forum
 Study visits in framework of French
homelessness
 EOH study in framework of French
homelessness strategy on different
support models in context of Housing First
services
 New European report on application of
Housing First in EU contexts

15. For Your Diaries…
 Local authorities seminar “Funding
strategies: Building the case for
homelessness”
Friday 8 June 2012, Brussels