The study seeks to understand what benefits homeless people – based on their own explanations, perceptions – attribute to the place they chose to spend their nights, and often their days as well. What factors influence their choice in where they spend the night, where they sleep. We answer these questions through analysing almost 6200 responses to the annual national February 3rd survey.

Our research reveals that for homeless people – just like for others – the factors influencing the choice of accommodation range wider than its primary, physical conditions, like a roof, heating, possibilities for sleep and shower, or fulfilling other basic needs like accessing food. Other characteristics defining a home (such as security, autonomy and freedom provided by privacy) are equally important.

Professionals working with homeless people can build on understanding the differences between the motivation, preferences of values between homeless people sleeping in various services or on the streets when weighing the advantages of a certain type of accommodation or when deciding whether to “go sleep in a shelter” or “stay outside”.