On January 27, 2025, the final event of the “Equihome – Equitable Representation of Homeless People’s Needs in Sustainable Neighborhood Planning in Vienna” project took place at Caritas Community kitchen. The event gathered 18 participants, including individuals with lived experiences of homelessness, local policymakers, social workers, and researchers, all discussing ways to integrate homeless people’s needs in public space planning.
The project aimed to address the exclusion of homeless individuals from political decision-making regarding public spaces, a critical issue given their reliance on these spaces. Through co-creative workshops and discussions in day centers, participants had the opportunity to voice their needs and contribute to the development of political recommendations. These recommendations call for inclusive, barrier-free participation formats in political processes, which are essential to empower underrepresented groups, including the homeless.
The outcome of the pilot project highlighted the importance of low-threshold access to participation, emphasizing the need for multilingual materials and designs that consider different communication styles. As a result, future steps will involve further engagement with stakeholders and political decision-makers to ensure these recommendations are realized, paving the way for more inclusive, co-created public spaces in Vienna.