BUSINEES-01: NEB for homelessness in Etterbeek

Homelessness and the increase in drug consumption in public spaces are realities that also affect the municipality of Etterbeek (Brussels–Belgium), particularly in certain “hot spots” such as the Mérode metro/train station.

To address this, the municipality and its partners, foremost among them the CPAS (Public Centre for Social Action), are deploying a support and assistance scheme enabling the people concerned to move from extreme vulnerability to a dignified situation in stable housing.

Our scheme is based on a four-step pathway:

• Street: outreach work and emergency assistance, including a municipal warming centre open day and night during winter since 2017

• Social outreach centre (operational from early 2025): a first-line daytime reception space offering listening, guidance, and access to psycho-social services

• Transit House: temporary accommodation (6 to 18 months) promoting medical and social support, particularly for addictions, and a gradual recovery of functional autonomy

• Long-term integration: housing search through tools such as a “step-down lease” or the intervention of a housing broker, within the framework of personalised support

It should be noted that in practice this pathway is not linear, and these stages overlap, with various contingencies.

We would like to participate in a New European Bauhaus project in order to consolidate this scheme, through the development of infrastructure and the strengthening of our human resources.