Social and spatial dimension of homelessness in Bucharest

Abstract

Homelessness constitutes a European concern in poverty alleviating strategies. Romania exemplifies a complex of structural and individual factors that generate homelessness. The study aims to identify homeless social and spatial characteristics in Bucharest through residents’ perception. The research involved 500 questionnaires conducted among Bucharest inhabitants. Questions focused on the homeless social and demographic features, the problems they confront and on space attributes that intervene in homelessness localization. Main findings confirm other studies and reveal that men (54%) predominate among people that live on the streets in Bucharest. Familial conflicts, doubled by poverty, poor professional qualification and structural employment issues, represent major homelessness factors. Policies and local community’s actions require improvement differentiated on homelessness dynamic and development directions.