When talking to homeless individuals, one of the most common statements they make is that they feel invisible to other people. Unfortunately, this impression – of not seeing homeless individuals – is sometimes shared by decision-makers who could and should be doing more to support the homeless.

This is evident in numerous examples, as reported by the Ombudswoman Tena Šimonović Einwalter to the Croatian Parliament in the Ombudswoman’s 2023 Annual Report.

Croatia Still Lacks a National Strategy to Combat Homelessness

How many homeless people are there in Croatia today? How can that number be reduced, and over what timeframe? How can adequate support be ensured for homeless people in terms of access to doctors and health services? How can problems with residence registration and personal documents – which frequently affect them – be resolved? How can they be supported in exiting homelessness and finding employment?

These are fundamental questions that should be addressed by a National Strategy to Combat Homelessness, which Croatia still lacks, despite years of advocacy from the Ombudswoman and civil society organizations working with homeless people.

For years, the development of such a strategy has been a recommendation in the Ombudswoman’s reports to the Croatian Parliament. However, the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy has yet to implement it. It is also recommended that a protocol be adopted to clearly define the responsibilities of all stakeholders and the forms of their cooperation – a measure that would address the lack of cross-sectoral coordination on homelessness.

Until a high-quality strategy is adopted and implemented, and the above-mentioned protocol is developed, it is unrealistic to expect significant progress in the protection of the rights of homeless people or a reduction in the number of people in that situation.

Lack of Accommodation for Homeless People Across Croatia

The Social Welfare Act stipulates that major cities (those with over 35,000 inhabitants) and county seats are required to allocate funds in their budgets for the provision of shelter services, including reception centers or overnight accommodation for homeless people. Nevertheless, the vast majority do not comply with this obligation.

While there is no penalty for failing to meet this obligation, the fact remains that not all cities that are required to do so have ensured a roof over the heads of their most vulnerable residents – individuals who require swift, adequate, and continuous support. This support must certainly include a place to sleep and maintain basic hygiene, in conditions that are safe for their health and life. Staying outdoors is particularly dangerous during the winter – which has already arrived – as well as during extreme heat or devastating storms.

Insufficient Work on Homelessness Prevention
In addition to creating conditions to reduce the number of existing homeless people, it is equally important to work on preventing others from ending up “on the street.” Although there is no systematic research into the causes of homelessness, the first comprehensive scientific study The Image of Support for Homeless People in Croatia from 2016 is valuable, as it showed that job loss, insufficient societal support in times of hardship, poor health, and disrupted family relationships are the most common reasons for losing a home.

Unfortunately, Croatia lacks a social housing strategy, which explains why this form of housing is underdeveloped. There is also no overarching national housing strategy. This is particularly concerning given the current exceptionally high real estate prices and rental costs, alongside a sharp rise in the cost of basic necessities in recent years due to waves of inflation.

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