Young adults make up nearly a third of Innsbruck’s homeless

Nearly 500 people aged 18 to 29 are homeless in Innsbruck, according to a study reported by ORF. They account for almost one-third of all homeless people in the city.

Matthias Tachezy of Chillout, a social counselling centre, said the situation had worsened in recent years. The centre is encountering more homeless young adults, and the number of people registered there has grown over time. Those affected also tend to remain registered for longer, he said.

Chillout helps teenagers and young adults secure basic necessities, find work and housing, and obtain places in supported accommodation. It also serves as a registered address for people without housing.

High rents and housing costs are part of the problem, but Tachezy said there were also too few support services for young adults. Many are too old for assistance aimed at children and teenagers but too young for adult services, he said, meaning they often need specialised support.

Innsbruck Deputy Mayor Georg Willi of the Greens said the city had introduced special rules for allocating municipal housing to minors. The city also plans to expand housing for young people through a new project.

Early support could prevent more serious problems later, Willi said. He called for greater use of mobile social work to reach those affected, but said securing the necessary funding was difficult at a time of tight budgets.

Innsbruck is calling on the state of Tyrol to provide more support, saying many homeless people originally come from elsewhere.