Ηidden homelessness and poverty trajectories in rural areas: stories of crisis counterurbanization in Greece

Abstract

The article examines invisible deprivation and housing precariousness in the countryside through the phenomenon of counterurbanization as a vehicle for overcoming poverty phenomena of urban households in Greece during the economic crisis. We argue that, despite the idealized picture for living in a village, as shown in the predominantly public discourse; rural life is governed by equally unfavorable living conditions for households at the risk of poverty. Through the theoretical framework of hidden homelessness in the rural, fundamental dimensions of housing problems and inadequate living conditions in the countryside are presented. Through the analysis of the different life pathways of people returning from the city to the village, the housing and social living conditions, during the crisis, in the Greek countryside are empirically examined. In the conclusions we find that returning back to rural areas, without accompanying established social support policies, only leads to the reproduction of a situation of proletarianization of households and to the transformation of urban poverty to rural poverty.

Hidden Homelessness: A Scoping Review and Avenues for Further Inquiry

“…Nine of the studies used a qualitative approach. Most of them opted for semi-structured interviews (Anthopoulou et al, 2019;Ogden & Avades, 2011;Peters, 2012;Reeve & Batty, 2011;Rose & Davies, 2014;Watson et al, 2016). For the study of trajectories of people in hidden homelessness, the exploration of pathways proves to be useful.…”

“…For the study of trajectories of people in hidden homelessness, the exploration of pathways proves to be useful. Anthopoulou et al (2019) and Mayock and colleagues (Mayock and Corr, 2013;Mayock and Parker, 2019) have applied such an approach by collecting biographical and in-depth interviews with special attention for critical moments in the lives of their respondents. Mayock and colleagues (Mayock and Corr, 2013;Mayock and Parker, 2019) re-interviewed the same people over two years.…”

“…Thus, one article describes young women with children, having a roof over their head but feeling "homeless at home" for diverse reasons, for example because they feel condemned to a low-quality housing system (Bennett, 2011). A second dimension pertains to the rural context, where homelessness tends to remain more hidden (Anthopoulou et al, 2019;Bennett, 2011;Kauppi et al, 2017). Kauppi and colleagues (2017 :69), describe seven types of hidden homelessness in rural and northern places in Canada, namely people living:…”

“…Some researchers make use of the ETHOS and ETHOS light typology to explain hidden homelessness, although in different ways. Anthopoulou et al (2019) focus on ETHOS's conceptual categories of people living in insecure and inadequate housing, whereas Mayock and Parker (2019: 469) refer to the ETHOS living situation of 'Temporarily staying with family/friends'. Demaerschalk et al (2019: 106) make use of the ETHOS Light typology to define and investigate hidden homelessness, using 'hidden homeless' to refer to people who are provisionally accommodated: (1) living in non-conventional dwellings (ETHOS Light category 5), such as mobile homes, a squat, a garage or (2) homeless people living temporarily with family and friends (ETHOS Light category 6).…”

“…Thus, one article describes young women with children, having a roof over their head but feeling 'homeless at home' for diverse reasons: for example, because they feel condemned to a low-quality housing system (Bennett, 2011). A second dimension pertains to the rural context, where homelessness tends to remain more hidden (Bennett, 2011;Kauppi et al, 2017;Anthopoulou et al, 2019). Kauppi and colleagues (2017: 69) describe seven types of hidden homelessness in rural and northern places in Canada, namely people living: (1) in tents or recreational vehicles, (2) in substandard housing, (3) in housing that is actually not affordable, (4) through couch surfing, (5) doubling up/overcrowding, (6) survival sex or (7) staying in motels or single rooms.…”