Bill Edgar (University of Dundee UK) European Commission MPHASIS Mutual Progress on Homelessness through Advancing and Strengthening Information Systems Workshop 1 : Counting the Homeless in the Census Final Project Conference Paris 17 th September 2009

European Commission Census Counting Homeless People  Mphasis Research Key Issues  Enumeration Method 2011  Population Registers  Key Issues and Action Points

European Commission Census Approaches CENSUS APPROACH 2011 COUNTRIES Conventional censusGreece, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, UK, Poland, Czech Republic, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Lithuania Register-based censusDenmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria Combination of register- based census and conventional census Belgium, Latvia, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Spain Combination of register- based census and sample survey Netherlands Rolling censusFrance

European Commission Definition of Homelessness CategoryMeasuring Homeless Study 2007 UNECE / CES Recommendations People living roughPrimary Homeless 2People in emergency accommodation Secondary Homeless 3People living in accommodation for the homeless 4People living in institutions (due to be released but no home to go to) 5People living in non-conventional dwellings due to lack of housing 6Homeless people living temporarily in conventional housing with family and friends (due to lack of housing)

European Commission FEANTSA Survey Results Homeless enumerated through traditional methods and cooperation with homeless services Homeless enumerated as part of a register Homeless enumerated through register and homeless services Czech Republic England France Hungary Ireland Italy Lithuania Luxembourg Poland Portugal Austria Denmark Finland Netherlands Sweden Belgium Estonia Spain Latvia Slovenia Germany

European Commission Summary of Issues by Category Measuring Homeless Study (2007) Operational Categories Register Based Census 1People living roughOnly covered when registered at support organisation 2People in emergency accommodationCan be covered if: addresses are identified and inhabitants are either registered there or counted separately 3People living in accommodation for the homeless 4People living in institutions (due to be released, but no home to go to) In most countries no information is available 5People living in non-conventional dwellings due to lack of housing Covered if persons are registered there with permanent address 6Homeless people living temporarily in conventional housing with family and friends (due to lack of housing) Difficult to cover in register based census. Can cover people if: postal address registered with a support agency

European Commission Limits of Register Based System  Census data mainly drawn from  Central Population Register (CPR)  Database of Households  Register of Dwellings / Buildings  Germany  No CPR – local authorities to provide information  Register of Dwellings being established (7.5m owners)  Register of Special Dwellings to be developed  Linking registers + data protection = aggregate data  Slovenia  Registers Dwellings in establishment phase  eDatabase of Households being computerised  CPR – relationships among persons not complete

European Commission Germany - Issues  Rough Sleepers / Emergency Accommodation  Not registered at any registry office  Register of Special Buildings  Definition and identification issues  Homeless accommodation diverse (budgets, providers)  Fictitious addresses (welfare departments)  Community, institutional and emergency accommodation  Combined in a common group  Homeless may be counted but can not be identified

European Commission Slovenia - Issues  Register of Buildings  “buildings for special purposes” - maternity homes, shelters and asylums, homes for the elderly, student dorms  The Residence Registration Act (2006)  registers homeless at agency where they receive help  requires a complete register of services  requires ability to identify homeless services  Living with Family/friends will be excluded  Buildings not intended for habitation  CPR needs cross-reference to Register of Buildings