Nearly 50,000 people are currently homeless in Belgium. Behind this staggering number lie thousands of broken paths, suspended lives, families, men, women, and children living in extreme precariousness. In 2024, all three regions of the country updated their counts: the findings are alarming, and time is running out.
Staggering numbers
In Brussels, 9,777 homeless people have been counted, nearly 1,000 of whom are in public spaces. In Wallonia, there are 19,387 people, including 5,204 children. In Flanders, 20,363 people are affected, including 6,300 children and one-third women. Homelessness visible in public spaces accounts for only 5% — it's the tip of an iceberg that grows bigger every year.
This data highlights a particularly troubling reality: nearly 25% of homeless people are children. A chilling observation that speaks volumes about the scale of the phenomenon and its progressive normalization. Among those without housing are familiar profiles: former children in care, people released from institutions, untreated mental disorders, people suffering from addictions, etc. So many intersecting trajectories that reflect a social protection system that is increasingly porous.
This data has been known for years. We also know it keeps increasing.
A phenomenon beyond large cities
Contrary to popular belief, homelessness is not just an urban phenomenon. In Wallonia, 8% of those affected live in municipalities with fewer than 15,000 inhabitants, and 30% in medium-sized towns (15,000 to 50,000 inhabitants). In total, 4 out of 10 homeless people live in municipalities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants.
The same goes for Flanders, where a third of homeless people are found in small municipalities. In these areas, the invisibility of the phenomenon is even more striking. And yet, even in small towns, people sleep outside. Homelessness is everywhere, even where we refuse to see it.
Public policies going against the grain
While the numbers are exploding, political responses are raising concern. The federal government Arizona is planning severe restrictions: reduction of unemployment benefits duration, harder access to social welfare (CPAS), tightening of migration policies. These choices may further marginalize already vulnerable people and increase the pressure on support and shelter structures.
On the housing front, the situation is equally critical: rents keep rising, and nearly a third of household income (even more in Brussels) is swallowed by rent. At the same time, incentives for solidarity are diminishing: tax-deductible donations are at risk, and support for the non-profit sector seems to be taking a back seat.
This non-profit network is not giving up, even though it's becoming harder and harder to rehouse people and support structures are increasingly saturated. These restrictive government measures risk wearing out workers who are often already exhausted.
At the regional level, announcements are no more reassuring. In Wallonia, the budget for public housing was reduced by 50 million euros, weakening an already overwhelmed sector. In Flanders, the Council of Europe recently criticized the Region for failing to comply with the European Social Charter, notably due to the acute lack of affordable housing. And in Brussels, the political crisis continues: more than 10 months after the elections, no government has been formed, freezing budgets and paralyzing key decisions.
Everywhere, waiting lists for social housing are skyrocketing. Nationwide, nearly 400,000 people are waiting for social housing — the equivalent of the combined populations of Ghent and Liège.
Zero homelessness by 2030, still a possible horizon?
The Lisbon Declaration, signed by Belgium four years ago, commits European countries to ending homelessness by 2030. To achieve this, our country must rehouse at least 10,000 people per year for five years and implement everything needed to prevent more people from losing their housing. It’s a huge challenge, but not impossible — provided there is strong, clear, and coordinated political will.
A call to action, now
The recommendations are known. They exist. The Masterplan by Bruss’help, among others, calls for cooperation between the three Regions. We must give absolute priority to housing, to policies based on prevention, support, and sustainable rehousing.
The right to housing is a fundamental right — the one that enables all the others. Having a home means being able to rebuild, rest, and plan ahead. Without it, social inclusion is impossible.
To end homelessness, we must:
Do more preventive work: fight evictions and support vulnerable households, maintain and strengthen social rights, support vulnerable youth, reinforce the mental healthcare sector, etc.
Ensure adequate support: strengthen the non-profit sector, which prioritizes homeless people; scale up the “Housing First” approach, which has proven effective; provide the tools needed to support people with addictions, etc.
Work on housing: invest massively in public, social, and affordable housing.
Implement a humane reception policy.
Let’s not normalize the unacceptable
Each year, the numbers rise. Each year, outrage does not resonate loudly enough in parliaments. Let’s not get used to this. Let’s not trivialize it.
Homelessness is not inevitable. It is a symptom of a system that must be rethought with structural policies. Together, we can end it.