In Croatia, homelessness and severe housing exclusion remain under-documented and insufficiently addressed at the national level. Unlike many EU countries, Croatia has no National Homelessness Strategy, and a comprehensive National Housing Policy Plan is only now being developed, with housing legislation undergoing its first significant reforms in decades. This creates a policy environment where systemic housing solutions are still emerging.

Housing First entered the Croatian context gradually. For many years, support for people experiencing homelessness relied mainly on shelters and temporary accommodation, with limited pathways to permanent housing. The first structured Housing First programme was launched in 2022 by Udruga AjA/ NGO ‘What about me’ in the city of Pula, marking the beginning of a housing-led approach in the country. The programme was established in partnership with local and national public authorities and remains the only active Housing First programme in Croatia.

In the absence of national HF guidelines, early development has been driven almost entirely by civil society. Udruga AjA has played a central role in promoting Housing First principles, offering training and collaborating with European organisations. The programme integrates multidisciplinary outreach, scattered-site housing, harm reduction, and recovery-oriented practices, demonstrating how HF can function even without systemic policy support.

Recent years have brought important shifts. Croatia has increased its engagement in EU social inclusion initiatives, local governments are recognising the limitations of shelter-based responses, and the ongoing reform of housing legislation opens new opportunities for long-term solutions. Although Housing First is not yet embedded in national policy, awareness and interest are steadily growing, supported by international cooperation and early positive practice in Pula.

Croatia is now entering a formative phase in which the development of national housing policy, combined with evidence from the first HF programme, could shape the future scaling of Housing First. Continued advocacy aims to integrate HF into upcoming national plans, expand local capacity, and establish stable funding mechanisms. These developments mark an important step toward positioning Housing First as part of Croatia’s long-term response to homelessness.