As of: January 30, 2024, 7:00 a.m
By: Michaele Heske
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Press
Split
Nobody in the district has to live on the slab, unlike in big cities.
However, loss of housing is becoming an increasingly pressing problem.
© Imago
In the Erding district, no people actually live on the streets or sleep under bridges.
“Unlike in Munich, fortunately there is no scene here,” says Brigitte Fischer from Caritas.
However, the social worker knows of some homeless people who sleep in the car.
Even now in winter when it's bitterly cold outside.
Erding - “But they do this voluntarily,” emphasizes Fischer.
She can only speculate about the reasons: It's possible that you don't want to be locked up in accommodation, but perhaps you're too embarrassed to get help.
Nobody in the district has to live without a roof over their head.
“According to the law, accommodating homeless people is one of the mandatory tasks of a municipality.”
The social workers Fischer and Florian Attenberger share the specialist department for preventing homelessness.
If you don't have a place to stay or are about to give up your apartment, you can get help at the Caritas Center in Erding.
Thanks to close cooperation with the municipalities, they are able to accommodate many people in need in emergency accommodation.
“These can look very different.
“Sometimes it’s containers, but in some communities it’s also guesthouses,” says Fischer.
The large district town of Erding, for example, operates four homeless shelters.
More and more people in the district are at risk of homelessness.
According to Caritas, the issue has long since ceased to be a problem for marginalized social groups and has reached a wider circle.
“Many people think that only unemployed people are affected by losing their homes.
“But that’s not true,” says Fischer, dispelling a widespread opinion.
In principle it could affect anyone.
Often also families where the income is at the bottom or the earner suddenly stops working.
Because of high rent prices and inflation, many seniors are no longer able to afford their pension.
Others struggle with physical or mental illness and head straight into a downward spiral.
Fischer has observed that terminations for personal use have also increased sharply in recent times.
The housing market is “toughly competitive” and the need for advice from Caritas has increased accordingly.
The basic problem for years: “We urgently need more affordable housing and social housing,” says Fischer.
But more support facilities are also needed: “For example, there is a clearing house and mother-child homes in Munich.
Something like that would be a great thing.” Such facilities take in those in need and support them in their search for a new apartment.
“A big dream of mine would be shared accommodation for all communities in the district,” says Fischer.
Socially supported housing, however, she emphasizes.
“This is the only way to help people out of homelessness.” mhe/mfa