Page 69 - IJPS-9-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Düsseldorfer Model for counting homeless people

Table 1. Results of the night count
Men Women Other Unknown Total Couples included Families including Dogs*
I. People living on the street and accompanied by dogs
Total 186 31 0 22 239 6 0 8
II. Persons staying in institutions and accompanied by dogs on the night of October 28-29, 2021
Hospitals 16 6 0 0 22 0 0 0
Police Stations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shelters 124 74 0 0 198 4 1 2
Total (1–3) 140 80 0 0 220 4 1 2
Note: *Information about dog ownership was gathered in this study due to the challenges that it poses for users of the homeless support system because
only certain institutions allow dogs.

Table 2. Number of postbox addresses and number of would prevent homelessness, including the impossibility of
recipients of ALG‑II without housing costs obtaining a work permit.

Men Women Other Unknown Total 3.2.2. Everyday life structure
III. Postbox addresses Most interviewees reported living an everyday life structured
Total 1,620 620 1 0 2,241 mostly by the structure of the help system and regular
IV. Total number of recipients of ALG-II without costs for housing appointments for food distribution, for housing viewings, and
Total 461 with authorities and doctors. Women in the sample mentioned
Note: ALG-II refers to unemployment benefit II. the importance of finding a warm, safe place, and being at
an emergency shelter as early as possible in the evening.
criticized, especially for its implied homogenization of Meanwhile, individuals being rehabilitated for drug abuse with
diverse life experiences and situations in relation to a substitute drugs reported seeking overnight accommodations
specific criterion (e.g., Stošić, 2017; Castro Varela, 2013), as close as possible to the site of their medical care.
the criterion was collected to make those experiences
visible. Based on the definition of migration background 3.2.3. Relevance of participation and social networks
from the perspective of the person interviewed, 11 people There is barely any contact with past contacts due to
with such a background provided qualitative data. The the fact that the networks had “grown apart” because of
summary results of the empirical analysis are presented in unemployment and that leisure activities had changed
the following based on the themes of their life situations or are no longer financial possible. While for about one-
identified and the supplementary questions of the third of the interviewees, new romantic relationships, and
interview guidelines. a new group of friends play an important role in terms
of their own social network and provide cohesion, other
3.2.1. Reasons for homelessness interviewees lack social contact and feel lonely. If contacts
The loss of personal and family relationships as well as do exist, they are often with “homeless acquaintances.”
long-term drug addiction, often dating back to adolescence The intensity of contact with parents and other family
or criminal offenses and imprisonment, had resulted members is heterogeneous and ranges from daily contact
in instability and the loss of housing. Other reasons for to no contact. All interviewees experience varying degrees
homelessness mentioned were the loss of a job, the shame of support from social institutions, social workers, and
of seeking support, and the lack of integration into the probation officers. In shelters, contacts are described as
labor market. In some cases, psychological burden in the “superficial” due to the lack of common rooms.
context of separation and custody disputes had led to
the loss of employment and, in turn, the loss of housing. 3.2.4. Safety
Eviction lawsuits, the demolition of residential buildings, Most interviewees reported experiencing highly
housing auctions, or the termination of leases were other threatening situations, ranging from robberies, threats of
reasons for the loss of housing. Gender-specific reason for violence, and being pepper-sprayed in their sleeping bags
homelessness mentioned from almost half of the women to injuries due to beer bottles, knives, fights, and even being
interviewed was violence in their intimidate relationships. doused with oil while sleeping. Among the interviewees,
By nationality, persons not of German nationality women reported more instances of sexual assault than
additionally reported a lack of structural conditions that men. Regarding safety in shelters, the lack of rooms with

Volume 9 Issue 1 (2023) 63 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.397