The PROMISE - Anti Poverty Forum joint conference A Place to Call Home: Reimagining Homelessness held this past week offered an interesting look into an issue which very often flies under the radar in Maltese society.
Homelessness was very rarely considered to even be present in Malta, but the issue has grown over the past years - perhaps powered by the fact that an economy growing at pace may, ultimately, leave a few people behind.
One of the interesting points to emerge from this conference was that Malta does not actually have a single national definition of homelessness - something which creates gaps and issues when it comes to data collection, which is essential in understanding the gravity of the problem.
The FSWS Homeless Service currently works with a definition aligned with the ETHOS Light framework, which categorises homelessness across rooflessness, houselessness, couch-surfing, and risk of homelessness.
In 2024, the service classified 335 individuals as at risk of homelessness, 185 as roofless, 23 as couch-surfing, and 27 as unspecified. These figures were reinforced by related data from other agencies.
YMCA Malta assisted 450 people in 2024, and nearly 300 cases were recorded in the first six months of 2025 alone, with 180 provided shelter. Thirty-seven individuals transitioned to independent living, a notable increase compared to previous periods.
Meanwhile, the Housing Authority received 137 homelessness-related applications in 2024, including cases stemming from evictions, correctional services, domestic violence, rehabilitation and medical vulnerabilities.
Institutional records also indicate crossover with health and addiction services. In 2023, Mount Carmel Hospital reported 17 cases involving homeless persons with substance-abuse disorders, highlighting the intersecting layers of disadvantage affecting many individuals.
The data shows that homelessness is an incredibly complex issue that can happen for a whole raft of reasons.
Professor Sue Vella, who presented the data to the conference, highlighted a number of services and policy measures which try to cater to this, but also stressed that Malta lacks a dedicated national homelessness strategy and that without a single responsible ministry or clear governance structure service provision remains fragmented and reactive.
The data indicates that 65 per cent of those supported in 2024 were foreign nationals, compared to 35 per cent Maltese, pointing towards unique pressures faced by migrants, including limited support networks, unstable employment, and disproportionate exposure to high private rental costs.
It's clear that the country can do more and become more organised in order to handle this issue with the sensitivity that it requires. Recent news that homeless people are being charged in court with things such as leading a vagrant life is adding a new facet to the issue, as it is being criminalised even, Vella said, in situations where no public disturbance occurs.
A dedicated anti-homelessness strategy, aligned with the EU's 2030 target to end homelessness, was highlighted as a critical step during the conference, and it is certainly something that the government should aim towards having.