Homelessness Awareness & Response Project
HARP exists to spread awareness, share facts, and connect people with the organisations working every day to end homelessness.
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By the numbers
These aren't just numbers — they represent real lives. Understanding the scale is the first step toward meaningful change.
"Homelessness is not a lifestyle choice. It is a complex social crisis driven by poverty, mental illness, addiction, family breakdown, and systemic failures — and it can happen to anyone."
— Fecsó János, Menhely Alapítvány
Root causes
Homelessness is never the result of one thing. It's a convergence of personal hardships and structural failures.
Rising housing costs outpacing wages, combined with mounting debt, leave millions unable to maintain stable housing. A single financial shock can be enough.
Untreated mental illness is both a cause and a consequence of homelessness. Without accessible support services, many fall through the cracks of the system.
Domestic violence, divorce, and family conflict force people — especially young adults — onto the streets without warning or a safety net.
Hungary's housing market, especially in Budapest, has become increasingly unaffordable. Social housing stock has shrunk dramatically since 1990.
People leaving prison, care, or psychiatric facilities without adequate housing support are at extremely high risk of becoming homeless within weeks.
Substance dependency is frequently both a cause and a coping mechanism for homelessness. Effective treatment and housing support must go hand in hand.
Whether you donate, volunteer, or simply share — every action counts. Explore the foundations and organisations making a real difference in Hungary.