Rising costs leave more people homeless in Upper Austria

Rising living costs and rents are worsening homelessness in Upper Austria, ORF reported. At Linz’s emergency shelter, around 50 of its 59 beds were occupied even during the summer, when demand previously fell significantly compared with the winter months.

Martin Tiefenthaler, director of the B37 social association, said the high summer occupancy was also a sign that poverty was increasing. Higher living costs and difficult economic conditions were becoming increasingly visible in homelessness services, he said.

Affordable housing in short supply

Rising prices do not automatically lead to homelessness. Often, several problems combine, including separation, job loss, mental illness or addiction, turning an already difficult financial situation into a crisis.

B37 is also seeing more cases in which private rental agreements are terminated because landlords need the property for themselves. People who were already living on very little money often cannot find another affordable home quickly enough. The housing market is therefore a central problem both for people at risk of homelessness and for those trying to leave it.

Eight years on the streets

The 30-year-old Felix shows how difficult that process can be. He trained as a wholesale trader and has lived on the streets for eight years. He became homeless after a death and a separation, lost his home and later his job. Alcohol and drugs also played a role in his past.

His goal is to find accommodation and then return to work. But the two are closely linked: without an address, finding a job is difficult, while without an income, finding a home is difficult. Missing documents, a bank account or access to digital services can create further obstacles.

B37 says more and more government procedures must be completed online. For people experiencing severe psychological or social crises, this can make the path back into stable housing even harder.

Criticism of stricter welfare rules

Tiefenthaler also criticised stricter social assistance rules in Upper Austria. Requirements to cooperate with authorities can be difficult for people with mental illnesses to meet. Applications may take longer or be rejected, and benefits may be reduced.

This becomes particularly problematic when people can no longer pay for their accommodation as a result. While applications or appeals are being processed, B37 sometimes has to use donations to prevent people from losing their homes.

In Linz alone, 745 people are assisted at the emergency shelter each year. The facility has 59 places, including 12 for women. The total number of homeless people in Upper Austria is not known.