Keep coming back

Homeless camp in the underground of municipal housing

No sooner has Wiener Wohnen cleared away the camp than it is repopulated.(Bild: zVg)

The Thürnlhof housing estate in Vienna-Simmering has more residents than tenants: no matter how often it is cleared away, homeless people keep setting up camp under the parking lots. Wiener Wohnen is aware of the problem, but due to the structural circumstances, it is unable to make any fundamental changes.

Mattresses, blankets, pillows, food scraps, everyday items, and even stuffed animals: homeless people have taken up residence under a parking deck at the Thürnlhof housing estate in Simmering, one of Vienna's largest municipal housing complexes with a total of around 6,800 residents, and are claiming the space for themselves. Wiener Wohnen repeatedly has the camp removed, but the homeless people keep coming back.

Barriers demanded
Wiener Wohnen had the improvised bed camp removed in the summer, then again in September, and most recently on November 5. A week later, everything looked the same as it did before the clearance. The tenants in the municipal housing complex are trying to keep their distance, and several of the homeless people also have dogs with them. Simmering state parliament representative Wolfgang Kieslich has taken up the matter. He is calling for structural measures – such as those already installed in the residential complex opposite.

Opposite the Thürnlhof housing estate, structural barriers have been erected to prevent homeless people from occupying the space under the ramp.(Bild: zVg)

The consequences of rapid construction in the 1960s
Wiener Wohnen understands the desire for barriers, but says it cannot fulfill it: The housing estate was one of the first prefabricated buildings to be quickly erected in the city – a legacy that continues to cause structural problems to this day. In this specific case, the building authorities have prohibited the area from being walled off because the substructure of the parking deck must remain visible for inspections at all times. Wiener Wohnen believes that partial covering would make the location even more attractive as a place to sleep.

"Always notify the police, without exception."
What has apparently not been adequately communicated to residents so far is that, according to its own statements, Wiener Wohnen is "in close contact with the local police in order to increase pressure through a stronger presence and checks by the executive." Tenants are urged to "always call the police without exception" in the cases described. The police are also in contact with charitable organizations and are therefore best placed to take the necessary steps.

Swift action by the responsible authorities is necessary so that residents can live in peace and safety again.

Landtagsabgeordneter Wolfgang Kieslich (FPÖ)

So far, the homeless have apparently been unwilling to take advantage of the city's offers of emergency shelters and other accommodation. Wiener Wohnen also hopes that the falling temperatures will convince people that they are better off there – and that the residents of the Thürnlhof estate will once again be able to move around their municipal housing complex without feeling uneasy.