Genk (Brussels Morning Newspaper): In Genk, homelessness has increased from 72 to 174 individuals in four years, with 47 young people aged 18-21 affected. Gaby Colebunders suggests the actual number may be higher. Mayor Wim Dries attributes rising rents to this crisis. The ‘Housing First’ initiative aims to provide stable housing and support, partnering with social housing company WIL to expedite placements.
In Genk, the number of homeless people has risen from 72 four years ago to 174 last year, with more women becoming homeless each year. Last year, 47 young people aged 18 to 21 were without homes, a significant increase from just 5 in 2020. The non-profit organization Homie is helping by taking in up to 8 young people. Many homeless individuals find shelter on couches at friends’ or family members’ homes, while others use emergency shelters or hotels rented by the city. On average, about 9 people slept on the streets last year.
How can Genk address rising homelessness amidst increasing rents?
According to local councilor Gaby Colebunders, there are more homeless people in Genk than the official numbers. Last year, 327 people were removed from the population register, and many of them are homeless. Some people living in slums aren’t counted because they haven’t been officially removed yet. Mayor Wim Dries believes the rising rent prices are making it hard for people to find affordable housing, causing more homelessness. This situation is putting pressure on social housing options in Genk, which has the most in Limburg.
In 2015, Genk, along with Hasselt and Sint-Truiden started a project called ‘Housing First’ to help homeless people. The goal is to provide them with a place to live and support them in improving their lives. They are also working with a social housing company, WIL, to help these individuals find homes faster. Mayor Dries is encouraging other towns in Limburg to increase their social housing options like Genk. He believes that if all cities do this, there would be no homeless people in the province, which he thinks is a possible solution.
