Berlin's lack of housing: psychological crises as the shadow of our city

Berlin's lack of housing: psychological crises as the shadow of our city

A group of visitors is now at the door of Mr. Schacht in Neukölln. The hallway is tight and the resident did not open. This is done as part of an event organized by the parity overall association. This bus trip addresses the serious lack of housing in Berlin and its devastating effects on mentally ill and homeless people, including young people. The coach with the inscription "Starship" is waiting for the guests, but it stays still while on the "Welcome Home" and the second O is a house. Mr. Schacht lives in a renovated apartment that saved him from landing on the street, in a building that includes 18 apartments for homeless people and was created in a cooperation with Gewobag.

Berlin has said goodbye to the ideal of decentralized accommodation in recent years. This development makes the challenges in the housing sector clear, especially for people with mental illnesses. Stefanie Schreiter, head of the therapy center for bipolar disorders at the Charité, emphasizes that over 70% of the homeless people in major German cities have a mental illness in need of treatment and over 90% were affected at least once. The connection between homelessness and mental illnesses is complex and is also discussed by the so-called shift-or drift hypothesis. This theory says that mental illnesses often lead to people lose their apartments.

The spiral of homelessness and mental illnesses

People with mental illnesses often do not find access to adequate living space, since their illnesses make the search considerably more difficult. It is also important to look at the social factors that contribute to homelessness, such as loss of job, debts and separations. A meta-analysis shows that homelessness is an expression of social exclusion and is often associated with the social stigmatization of those affected. Mental illnesses can be both cause and the consequence of homelessness.

A conference last September brought together specialists from various areas to develop strategies to combat this topic. Despite numerous initiatives, many people fall through the social network due to interface problems. The need for better networking between psychiatric care system and homeless help is required by many experts, not least because older people and people with double diagnoses are often particularly disadvantaged.

new approaches and challenges

As part of the discussion, the concept "Housing First" is also discussed, in which people are offered living space without conditions. The suggestions make sense, but the space is limited due to the acute lack of housing. The report on the development of homelessness in Germany shows that in 2018, an estimated 678,000 people were homeless, including 41,000 without accommodation on the street. It is particularly worrying that there is no sufficient statistics on the number of homeless women and children, although the proportion is not insignificant.

To help those affected, it is crucial that access to help is simply designed. Excessive support could help those who would otherwise not take advantage of help. The inclusion of former affected people in the development of new programs could also help find suitable solutions. There is also a growing need for digital solutions that reduce barriers and increase support.

The challenges that are associated with marginalization processes and homelessness are not only social but also health aspects. Corona pandemic has strengthened existing disadvantages and complicates the maintenance of auxiliary measures. Political developments such as gentrification and urbanization have also tightened the problems. The coming months will show how actively the city of Berlin is concerned and whether the necessary support is provided for those affected.