Almost half of Roma families in Bulgaria currently live in conditions of severe poverty. Their homes are generally of very low quality, made of scrap wood and cardboard. This makes families vulnerable to disease and to further discrimination. These people are desperate for the chance to have a safe and decent home.
The biggest housing challenges Roma families face are:
Overcrowded and poor quality homes
It is very common for several generations to live together under one roof. This is not so much because they like to live together but because they simply cannot afford to move out 
and have a place of their own. These houses are very often constructed from low quality materials and the walls are already crumbling. Sometimes ‘home’ is a converted sleeping car or wagon.
No electricity, water or heating
Almost 40 percent of Roma families in Bulgaria live in ruined or unfinished homes, according to the UNDP statistics. Many of these shelters have no proper facilities like bathrooms and running water. Approximately10 percent of homes have no electricity connection.
Illegal and segregated settlements
Almost 90 percent of Roma settlements are located in segregated, ghetto-like neighborhoods. These are mainly located on the outskirts of major cities. There are no proper streets or even lanes in many of these settlements. The illegality of the settlements is a good excuse for the authorities not to include the neighborhoods in urban planning.
