Belgium: Housing First project benefits third-country nationals

The Housing First project offers housing to homeless people in Belgium suffering from severe mental health issues and/or addictions, many of whom are third-country nationals (TCNs). The project was initially launched with an introductory phase in 2013, under the impetus of the Second federal plan to combat poverty (2012), during a housing crisis which particularly affected migrants. 

Project goal:

Housing First is designed to support a specific target group: homeless individuals with severe mental health conditions, such as psychosis, and/or addictions. These individuals are often excluded from housing systems due to access conditions that bar those with addictions or psychiatric illnesses. As a result, they are confined to emergency services that offer no long-term solutions, such as night shelters, day centres, and food aid services.  

Although the project does not aim to support third-country nationals (TCNs) exclusively, it does support a larger number, as they are over-represented among homeless populations in Belgium. Through this it serves to contribute to their social and economic (re)integration into Belgian society. 

Who benefits: 

People in Belgium who are homeless, many of whom are migrants, suffering from severe mental health issues and/or addictions and, by extension, society as a whole. 

The project has expanded to support people across the country. The 2013 introductory phase was launched in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, and Liège, which host the majority of Belgium’s migrant population. In 2015, the project was then expanded to the cities of Hasselt, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, and Namur. Additional subsidised initiatives have since followed, such as Huis Inclusief in Kortrijk and Housing First Limburg in Hasselt, Genk, and Sint-Truiden. 

How it works:

The Housing First Lab, a national monitoring body, coordinates the collection and analysis of data on housing and needs. It has a Dutch-speaking coordinator and a French-speaking coordinator. Housing is sourced from the social rental market, thanks to advocacy efforts by project leaders including SMES-B and Infirmiers de Rue. Housing First Lab also partners with social rental agencies and public centres for social welfare (CPAS). 

The project is structured around several key implementation principles. One of these is unconditionality, meaning no additional requirements beyond the standard rental conditions (such as paying rent and adhering to the lease) are imposed on beneficiaries. It also provides Assertive Community Treatment (ACT): multidisciplinary, community-based care outside of institutional settings. Furthermore, individuals are able to choose the type and frequency of support they receive.