Prague works hard to end homelessness

Having a roof over your head on cold winter days and feeling safe shouldn’t be something to be worthy of. Everyone deserves a place to call home and everyone has the right to feel safe.

Despite this, UN-Habitat has found that a shocking 1.6 billion people live in inadequate housing conditions. Worse yet, homelessness is becoming more prevalent over time.

Realizing how serious this is, cities and governments around the world are scrambling to find ways to help those without access to housing. However, only a handful of them manage to make significant changes.

Since the start of the pandemic, Prague has stepped up efforts to help the homeless. Last year he built an integrated system of emergency housing solutions using EU funds.

Thanks to this system, citizens who were at risk – or already in a housing emergency situation – could access help from one of the Housing Contact Points in the city’s neighborhoods. There, depending on the situation, they could either get advice, legal aid or temporary accommodation.

Also in 2020, Prague unveiled a crisis shelter program, providing homeless people with housing to ensure their safety and prevent the spread of COVID.

In this context, the city’s support went beyond the provision of housing, as it also sought to ensure that those who received housing could then enter the labor market and obtain their own housing. Following this action, the capital further unveiled the creation of a network of smaller facilities where individuals could have access to food, water, shelter, etc.

In the summer of 2021, the Czech capital collaborated with the Salvation Army to vaccinate homeless citizens with a single-dose Johnson & Johnson jab.

By administering single-dose COVID vaccines, Prague has ensured that its homeless population is safe and fully immunized despite their inability to access the health services they deserve.

Councilor Milena Johnová discussed the capital’s efforts earlier this year, noting that its long-term goal is to eradicate homelessness and ensure a sufficient supply of stable, decent and affordable housing.