The Fonds Soziales Wien (FSW) started its 2026/27 winter package for homeless people on 28 October. Until 28 April 2027, Vienna provides 1,000 additional places for homeless single people and couples, places for 38 families and 255 places in warming rooms. The package matters because last winter’s persistent cold spells forced the city to add capacity at short notice.
What the winter package offers
The ten emergency shelters in the package again operate around the clock this year. Three warming rooms offer a daytime stay in the warm and lunch. The FSW coordinates the package and runs it with its partner organisations Arbeiter-Samariterbund Wien, Caritas der Erzdiözese Wien, FSW Obdach, Johanniter Österreich, Volkshilfe Wien and the Vienna Red Cross.
| Offer | Capacity |
|---|---|
| Emergency shelters (singles and couples) | 1,000 places |
| Families | 38 families |
| Warming rooms (3) | 255 places |
A new shelter with reserves for cold spells
About 2,900 people used last winter’s package. According to FSW managing director Susanne Winkler, persistent cold periods were a major challenge, and the city responded quickly by adding places. The Obdach Siemensstraße shelter in Floridsdorf is part of the winter package for the first time and is run by the FSW subsidiary FSW Obdach. It opens with 180 places for single people and couples. The package also starts with around 60 reserve capacities at this shelter. Its capacity can be expanded quickly during long cold spells or peaks in demand. Residents can use the free FSW KälteApp to alert street social workers to homeless people in public spaces.
Places for women
Over the last five years, the share of women among users has risen to about one sixth. Around 160 places are aimed at homeless women. The Obdach Gänsbachergasse shelter is reserved exclusively for women, and other shelters have separate women’s areas.
The year-round system
The winter package adds to a year-round system in which the FSW works with more than 30 partner organisations. The FSW funds around 4,630 places and 2,440 support units all year, nearly 700 of these places in so-called Chancenhäuser, which offer low-threshold access to accommodation and counselling from the first day. In 2025, 13,260 people used the services for homeless people, and the city spent around 166 million euros on them last year. Social affairs councillor Peter Hacker said that no one should have to sleep on the street in life-threatening temperatures, a position the city has held for over 15 years.