Homelessness in France

Homelessness in France is a significant social issue, one that is estimated to affect over 140,000 people, including 30,000 children,^[1]

One study of homeless in Paris found that homeless people have a high degree of social proximity to other people living in conditions of poverty.^[2] And terms in the media used to describe homelessness are formed around poverty and vagrancy.^[3]

Some researchers maintain the a Housing First policy would not solve the homelessness issue in France.^[4][5]

Some researchers maintain that industrial restructuring in France led to the loss of jobs among blue-collar workers whose skills did not transfer readily to other job sectors, which in turn led to a rise in homelessness.^[6]

Homeless children in France is not a new phenomenon; the writer Emile Zola wrote about homeless children in late nineteenth century France.^[7]

Responses

• Foyers originated in France during World War One to provide a place to eat and sleep for soldiers. After the war, foyers were used to provide accommodation for a movement of people across the country whop were seeking work. It is thought that the service reduced the number of homeless unemployed youth.^[8]

References