Page 66 - IJPS-9-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Düsseldorfer Model for counting homeless people

concludes by providing an outlook with recommendations that any count can only ever be a momentary snapshot.
for action. Although the results provide a justification Even though many counting teams assisted and various
for the establishment and funding of support services housing support institutions as well as hospitals and police
for homeless people, a comprehensive count of homeless custody were taken into account, it must be mentioned that
individuals in Düsseldorf remains needed, for a key date any count can only ever be a snapshot. Second, the key date
count provides only a momentary picture and was a survey was complemented by a qualitative study, in which
limitation of the study. 30 people who are homeless as defined by the ETHOS
typology participated in semistructured interviews aimed
2. Empirical approach at gaining insight into their living conditions. This method
To date, research on homelessness has focused on people enabled to include people on the verge of losing housing
who are either homeless and live on the street or (have to) and ones who live in more insecure housing situations (e.g.,
spend the night in emergency shelters. As a result, neither “couch-surfers,” people temporarily housed by friends and
“people who are homeless and have no contact with the acquaintances, as well as women who are dependent on
institutions of the municipalities and providers of homeless male housing providers).
assistance” (Busch-Geertsema et al., 2020, p. 488) nor those
who live in unacceptable housing conditions (e.g., sleeping 2.1. Quantitative study
in a car, temporarily staying with acquaintances, or living 2.1.1. Counting principles
in cheap boarding houses) are included in the study. From For the night count of homeless people in Düsseldorf,
a scientific perspective, it is necessary to empirically as well Germany, the following principles were defined to ensure
as qualitatively analyze the perspectives of those people, a standard of quality characteristics by the group of actors
who have categorically been neglected so far. from the homeless support system:
As a basis for the count, a workshop was organized to
which all actors of the Düsseldorf homeless support system 2.1.1.1. Principle of ethics
(DHSS) were invited to agree on the realization of the During the night count, only people who seem or are
count and the standards as well as principles that would homeless were to be counted. People were not to be
guide it. The developed principles enabled the count to be woken up or interviewed at “their” place or “home,” so
called “qualified.” In contrast to other counts, the actors in to speak. The people who were institutionally connected
the field were involved in the development of the research or known to the homeless support system were informed
design, and professionals and previously qualified people in advance by the street workers to reduce fear and worry
were a part of the count. about criminalization and/or registration. No offensive
In the workshop with actors of the DHSS, the results of advertising or public announcement was broadcast in
a literature-based analysis of previous counting procedures the local media to prevent self-appointed counters from
were presented, namely with experiences from Berlin, joining the count unauthorized and thereby creating
Dublin, Hamburg, and Paris. Based on these findings and further dangers and uncertainties (e.g., knowledge
the specific subjective experiences of the actors in DHSS, of people’s hidden overnight locations and threats of
a concept was jointly developed for the count of homeless violence). The count personnel involved were aware that
people: The Düsseldorfer Model. It was decided that the it is ethically difficult to count the homeless and to thus
objective of the count in 2021 would be, firstly, to perform categorize people as homeless without involving them.
a count on a key date, with the purpose of analyzing the However, following the existing definitions, it was decided
needs per a full count of Düsseldorf (i.e., “night count”) to mark people as being homeless in the night count if
and a supplementary survey of relevant institutions and they were in public places (e.g., on the street, in parks, or
actors in clinics, police, job centers, and shelters to obtain under bridges), building entrances or other private spaces
and analyze information available on the key date. This (e.g., bus stations, train stations, and ATM lobbies at
means that the number of people who are homeless, in banks), or dwellings that were not or no longer intended
clinics or police custody, as well as the number of people for continuous human habitation, and if they were already
who receive social support benefits for being unemployed sleeping there, had lain down to sleep there, or were
from Germany’s job centers but do not pay for housing, preparing to spend the night there (e.g., with sleeping bags,
as well as their registered postal addresses at homeless sitting on cardboard or benches, or even standing, sitting,
support institutions, were collected on the key date. Those or moving with other people and/or dogs). Meanwhile,
relevant institutions and actors were identified together places were counted if it appeared that they had been used
with actors in DHSS. Nevertheless, it must be mentioned in the past 24 h.

Volume 9 Issue 1 (2023) 60 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.397