Cost of Housing Going Up Worldwide as Homelessness Rates Soar: Insights from UN Special Rapporteur
«Очень много людей выселяют из-за повышения арендной платы, а количество бездомных продолжает стремительно расти. Я хотел бы напомнить, что доступность является ключевым элементом права на достаточное жилье, закрепленного в международном праве», – сказал Спецдокладчик по вопросу о достаточном жилище Балакришнан Раджагопал.
Он напомнил государствам о необходимости обеспечить население доступным жильем и приветствовал принятие в декабре 2023 года Генеральной Ассамблей резолюции по бездомности. В ней члены международного сообщества отметили, что «бездомность является глобальной проблемой, которая затрагивает людей разного возраста, принадлежащих к различным экономическим, социальным и культурным группам и проживающих как в развитых, так и в развивающихся странах».
Раджагопал сообщил, что сейчас он – совместно со Спецдокладчиком по вопросу о крайней нищете – работает над отчетом по декриминализации бедности и бездомности. Эксперт также рассказал о своей поездке в Сан-Диего, Калифорния, с целью изучения мер по борьбе с выселением и обеспечению доступного жилья.
Доступное жилье и конфликты
Обращаясь к конфликтам наших дней и последних десятилетий, Раджагопал осудил разрушение жилых домов и гражданской инфраструктуры в ходе военных действий, приведя в пример Алеппо, Грозный, Мариуполь, Газу, Мьянму и Судан.
Он повторил свой призыв в 2022 году к международным действиям по предотвращению нарушений права на достаточное жилище, запрету использования взрывчатых веществ в населенных районах и признанию разрушения жилья в условиях конфликта преступлением против человечности.
«То, что происходит в секторе Газа, шокирует сознание человечества: с 7 октября 2023 года более 70 процентов всего жилого фонда в секторе Газа и более 80 процентов в некоторых частях северной части сектора Газа были повреждены или разрушены, а более 1,5 миллионы человек были вынуждены покинуть свои дома», – сказал Раджагопал.
«Все, что делает жилье “адекватным” – доступ к услугам, работе или культуре, школам, религиозным местам, университетам, больницам – все было уничтожено. Масштаб и интенсивность разрушений намного хуже, чем в Алеппо, Мариуполе или даже Дрездене и Роттердаме во время Второй мировой войны. Вместе с другими специальными докладчиками на прошлой неделе я призвал государства прекратить поставки оружия Израилю, которое используется для разрушения домов и перемещения людей в секторе Газа», – добавил он.
Визит в Нидерланды
В декабре прошлого года Спецдокладчик побывал в Нидерландах, где он посетил кварталы социального жилья, приюты для бездомных, стоянки для караванов, деревни, пострадавшие от землетрясений, вызванных бурением скважин для добычи природного газа. Раджагопал пообщался с людьми, оказавшимися в тяжелой ситуации и лишенными нормального жилья.
В докладе по итогам визита эксперт проанализировал ситуацию в жилищной сфере и необходимость реализации права на достаточное жилище в стране. Он обратил особое внимание на уязвимое положение беженцев, просителей убежища, рабочих-мигрантов, студентов, жителей караванов, а также людей с ограниченными возможностями и бездомных.
Правозащитник рекомендовал властям Нидерландов укрепить защиту арендаторов жилья и контроль за ростом арендной платы и улучшить жилищные условия для мигрантов, соискателей убежища и беженцев, в том числе – из Украины.
Специальные докладчики являются частью так называемых «специальных процедур» Совета по правам человека. Они не являются сотрудниками ООН и не зависят от какого-либо правительства или организации. Они работают в личном качестве и не получают зарплату за свою работу.
Garrett is a skilled author driven by a desire to illuminate global issues through his writing. With a foundation in journalism and international relations, he offers a distinctive viewpoint in his work, exploring the complexities of geopolitical events in depth.
Why is the cost of housing increasing globally and homelessness on the rise? What measures can be taken to address these issues effectively?
To address the rising cost of housing and increasing homelessness globally, it is crucial for governments to implement policies that promote affordable housing and protect the right to adequate housing for all. Additionally, initiatives focusing on income equality, social support programs, and sustainable urban development can play a key role in combating these issues effectively.
Many people are being evicted due to rising rental costs, and the number of homeless individuals continues to grow rapidly. It is important to remember that affordability is a key element of the right to adequate housing enshrined in international law,” said Special Rapporteur on adequate housing Balakrishnan Rajagopal. He reminded states of the need to provide affordable housing for the population and welcomed the adoption of the General Assembly resolution on homelessness in December 2023. In it, members of the international community noted that “homelessness is a global problem that affects people of all ages, belonging to different economic, social, and cultural groups, residing in both developed and developing countries.” Rajagopal reported that he is currently working on a report on the decriminalization of poverty and homelessness together with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty. The expert also shared insights from his trip to San Diego, California, where he studied measures to combat eviction and provide affordable housing. Addressing the conflicts of our days and the past decades, Rajagopal condemned the destruction of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure during armed conflicts, citing Aleppo, Grozny, Mariupol, Gaza, Myanmar, and Sudan as examples. He reiterated his call in 2022 for international actions to prevent violations of the right to adequate housing, including the prohibition of the use of explosive materials in populated areas.
Many people are being evicted due to rising rent prices, and the number of homeless individuals continues to soar. The affordability is a key element of the right to adequate housing enshrined in international law. It is crucial for governments to provide affordable housing for their population. I commend the General Assembly for adopting the resolution on homelessness in December 2023, recognizing homelessness as a global issue affecting people of all ages, belonging to various economic, social, and cultural groups across both developed and developing countries.
Many people are being evicted due to rising rent prices, while the number of homeless continues to surge. It’s crucial to remember that affordability is a key component of the right to adequate housing enshrined in international law. Accessible housing is a basic human right that governments should prioritize, and I applaud the General Assembly’s resolution on homelessness adopted in December 2023. It’s essential to address homelessness as a global issue affecting diverse populations in both developed and developing countries. Radhakrishnan emphasized the need for affordable housing and commended the international community for acknowledging the severity of the problem. He shared insights from his research in San Diego, California, where he studied eviction prevention and affordable housing initiatives. Referring to conflicts in recent decades, Radhakrishnan condemned the destruction of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure during armed conflicts in cities like Aleppo, Grozny, Mariupol, Gaza, Myanmar, and Sudan. He reiterated his call for global action to prevent violations of the right to adequate housing and the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Many people are being evicted due to rising rent costs, while the number of homeless continues to soar. Affordability is a key element of the right to adequate housing enshrined in international law. It’s crucial for governments to ensure affordable housing for all and I applaud the adoption of the resolution on homelessness by the General Assembly in December 2023. Homelessness is a global issue impacting people of all ages, belonging to different economic, social, and cultural groups, residing in both developed and developing countries.
Many people are being evicted due to rising rent costs, and the number of homeless individuals continues to rapidly increase. Accessibility is a key element of the right to adequate housing enshrined in international law. It’s crucial for governments to ensure affordable housing for their population. I applaud the General Assembly’s resolution on homelessness adopted in December 2023, recognizing it as a global issue affecting people of all ages and backgrounds in both developed and developing countries. Radhakrishnan highlights the importance of decriminalizing poverty and homelessness in his current work with the Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty. His efforts to study eviction prevention measures in San Diego, California, are commendable. Addressing conflicts of our time, he condemns the destruction of residential buildings and civil infrastructure in war-torn areas like Aleppo, Grozny, Mariupol, Gaza, Myanmar, and Sudan. His call for international action to prevent violations of the right to adequate housing and the prohibition of explosive weapons in civilian areas is timely and necessary.
So many people are being evicted due to rising rents, and the number of homeless individuals continues to skyrocket. Accessibility is indeed a crucial element of the right to adequate housing enshrined in international law. It’s high time for governments to ensure affordable housing for the population. I applaud the General Assembly for passing the resolution on homelessness in December 2023, recognizing it as a global issue affecting people of all ages and backgrounds in both developed and developing countries.
Many people are being evicted due to rising rent costs, while the number of homeless continues to soar. Accessibility is a key element of the right to adequate housing, enshrined in international law. Governments must ensure affordable housing for the population, as highlighted in the resolution on homelessness adopted by the General Assembly in December 2023. Homelessness is a global issue impacting people of all ages and economic, social, and cultural backgrounds in both developed and developing countries. Rajagopal’s efforts on decriminalizing poverty and homelessness are commendable. His insights from visiting San Diego, California, to study eviction prevention and affordable housing measures are crucial. Addressing conflicts of our times, Rajagopal condemns the destruction of residential homes and civil infrastructure during military actions in Aleppo, Grozny, Mariupol, Gaza, Myanmar, and Sudan. His call for international action to prevent violations of the right to adequate housing and the prohibition of explosive materials in residential areas in 2022 remains pertinent.
Many people are being evicted due to rising rent prices, and the number of homeless individuals continues to rapidly increase. Accessibility is a key element of the right to adequate housing enshrined in international law,” said Special Rapporteur on adequate housing Balakrishnan Rajagopal. He reminded states of the need to provide affordable housing to the population and welcomed the adoption of a resolution on homelessness by the General Assembly in December 2023. In it, members of the international community noted that “homelessness is a global issue that affects people of all ages, belonging to various economic, social, and cultural groups and living in both developed and developing countries.” Rajagopal reported that he is currently working on a report on decriminalizing poverty and homelessness in collaboration with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty. The expert also shared insights from his trip to San Diego, California, to study measures to combat eviction and ensure affordable housing. Affordable housing and conflicts Addressing conflicts of our day and the past decades, Rajagopal condemned the destruction of residential homes and civil infrastructure during military actions, citing Aleppo, Grozny, Mariupol, Gaza, Myanmar, and Sudan as examples. He reiterated his call in 2022 for international action to prevent violations of the right to adequate housing, and the prohibition of the use of explosive materials in residential areas.
Many people are being evicted due to rising rental costs, and the number of homeless individuals continues to grow rapidly. I would like to remind that affordability is a key element of the right to adequate housing enshrined in international law,” said Special Rapporteur on adequate housing issues Balakrishnan Rajagopal. He reminded states of the need to provide affordable housing for the population and welcomed the adoption of the General Assembly resolution on homelessness in December 2023. In it, members of the international community noted that “homelessness is a global issue affecting people of different ages, belonging to various economic, social, and cultural groups, and residing in both developed and developing countries.” Rajagopal reported that he is currently working on a report on decriminalizing poverty and homelessness in collaboration with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty. The expert also shared insights from his trip to San Diego, California, to study measures to combat eviction and provide affordable housing. Addressing the conflicts of our days and recent decades, Rajagopal condemned the destruction of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure during armed conflicts, citing Aleppo, Grozny, Mariupol, Gaza, Myanmar, and Sudan as examples. He reiterated his call in 2022 for international action to prevent violations of the right to adequate housing and the prohibition of the use of explosive materials in residential areas.
Why are housing costs rising so rapidly while homelessness rates continue to increase? What actions can governments take to address this critical issue?
Hi EmilySmith, the rising housing costs can be attributed to various factors such as gentrification, lack of affordable housing initiatives, and speculation in the real estate market. Governments can address this issue by implementing rent control policies, investing in social housing programs, and regulating property speculation. It’s crucial for governments to prioritize affordable housing to combat the increasing rates of homelessness worldwide.
Why are homelessness rates increasing despite efforts to address affordable housing? Is there a correlation between rising rent costs and the surge in homelessness worldwide?