CEE CN site

A look from Citizens in Central and Eastern Europe

Chuck Hirt - Director of Central and Eastern European Citizens Network 

Twentieth anniversary

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the change from socialism to a democratic system in Central and Eastern Europe.  The last couple of months have been filled with considerable reflections in the region.  The change came with great hopes, enthusiasm and energy.   Today the reality is marked more by words such as fatigue, frustration and lack of trust.  Many find themselves disappointed by the changes and unsure how to maneuver in this new environment.  There are some being left behind in all these changes.  Citizens are certainly in this category. 

For the last three years, FEANTSA (European federation of national organisations working with the homeless) has facilitated exchanges between local authorities on approaches to tackling homelessness by organising an annual meeting on local homeless strategies. A core group of cities have now decided to launch HABITACT to create a forum of exchange on local homeless strategies. These founding cities are: Amsterdam, Athens, Dublin, Esch-sur-Alzette, Ghent, Odense, Madrid, and Vitoria-Gasteiz.

The launch of HABITACT coincides with the growing political momentum at EU level on the need to tackle homelessness in Europe (see European Parliament Written Declaration on ending homelessness), and with the European Year 2010 for combating poverty and social exclusion. 

HABITACT will build capacity of local policy-makers to reduce homelessness in their local communities through transnational exchange and peer learning around common themes of interest.  These policy exchanges will be supported and facilitated by European research and policy tools (such as the ETHOS typology of homelessness and housing exclusion). The expertise gathered within these exchanges will be disseminated widely through relevant HABITACT toolkits, publications and webtools.  Activities will include developing a series of thematic seminars, supporting cities to set up European projects on homelessness, developing a HABITACT toolkit to develop effective local homeless strategies, publishing regular bulletins with news on local developments, and much more. 

HABITACT is open to all local practitioners in EU/EEA countries who are working in the area of homelessness.  To join HABITACT or to receive more information about HABITACT, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or consult the website www.habitact.eu