Housing – but what if you don't have a flat to live?

Homelessness – the word evokes certain images for many people: a man, unkempt, addicted. But this image does not reflect the complex realities and circumstances for those affected. In fact, the broader homelessness often remains invisible. Many people experiencing housing insecurity spend nights temporarily at friends’ home, in temporary shelters, or in facilities for homeless people – far from public view.

Does this stereotype – male, addicted – still hold true?

Yes and no. Homelessness and addiction sometimes go hand in hand. Addiction “can be a cause of homelessness, but often also arises because of or alongside homelessness,” explains Lukas Kerschbaumer from the Center for Social and Health Innovation, MCI. No. There are no precise figures on the number of people affected by homelessness or housing insecurity. Still, women, children, and families are also among those affected!

Homeless and houseless – this can mean many things and is more than just living on the streets. As part of the Lisbon Declaration – which has the ambitious goal of ending homelessness by 2030 – the EU has developed a comprehensive typology. This so-called ETHOS typology, based on scientific data sources, distinguishes between 13 forms of homelessness – ranging from precarious, insecure living conditions to literal houselessness. As a guide, homelessness can mean living in temporary accommodation or staying at friends’ flats. People affected by houselessness live in public spaces, e.g., on the streets. One thing is clear: every person affected by houselessness is homeless, but not every person affected by homelessness is houseless.

Homelessness, houseless, living in precarious conditions – all of these are expressions of poverty and have societal consequences. They are not an identity, but rather a condition – often triggered by personal crises or illness, but also by structural factors such as a lack of affordable housing or low income. “How much control do people have over changing their situation? A lack of options is the decisive factor. We cannot leave it at that,” says Lukas Kerschbaumer (MCI)*.

Homelessness can affect anyone! That is why we refer to people who are affected by homelessness or living in precarious housing conditions. Because homelessness or houselessness is not an identity.

In Innsbruck, people are also affected by homelessness. It is not easy to obtain accurate statistics – homelessness is dynamic and often hidden. According to Statistik Austria, approximately 20,500 people were registered as homeless or without permanent accommodation in Tyrol in 2023. This is a clear signal that urgent action is needed.

The city of Innsbruck has therefore committed to the goals of the Lisbon Declaration, which aims to end homelessness by 2030, and is responding with determined measures. A key step on this path is the participation process to combat homelessness launched in February 2025, which is being facilitated by the Center for Social & Health Innovation at MCI. The aim is to work with all relevant actors, from social organizations to the administration and clinics, to develop concrete measures for tackling homelessness and ensure greater housing security.

The focus lies on:

1. Temporary/ emergency shelters: Improving quality, meeting needs, and enhancing infrastructure.
2. Secure housing: Strengthened prevention, targeted counseling, and sustainable housing provision.
3. Long-term strategy from 2026 onward: Developing structural solutions for the sustainable integration of people experiencing homelessness.

The Center for Social and Health Innovation at MCI is responsible for moderating, documenting, and providing methodological support for the process. A structured and evidence-based approach is being pursued to enable effective collaboration among stakeholders. Role models such as Finland demonstrate that with the right strategy – such as Housing First – homelessness can be significantly reduced. This reframes homelessness not (only) as a social issue, but as a matter of housing policy. “Current data indicates that Housing First is the optimal approach. <> And then we encounter the reality in Tyrol, in Innsbruck, in Austria <and realize> that we need the apartments to make it happen.” (Lukas Kerschbaumer, MCI) *

The vision for Innsbruck in 2050? A city without homelessness. Instead, a functioning network of prevention, support, and access to dignified housing – and a society that recognizes housing as a fundamental right.

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The quotes are taken from the podcast “Von der Wiege bis zur Bahre – der soziale Podcast” (From the cradle to the grave – the social podcast), in which Tom Strickner talks about homelessness with Daren Ranalter (house manager at Alexihaus), Julia Schratz (managing director at lilawohnt) and Lukas Kerschbaumer (MCI). Anyone interested is welcome to listen here.