While some Slovak cities are developing modern neighborhoods, thousands of people live in conditions of the last century just a few kilometers away. About 14% of residents of Roma settlements in Slovakia live in homemade shacks, often without access to basic utilities. Behind this figure is the reality of tens of thousands of people.
These data were published by the Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities (ÚSVRK) based on the results of the large-scale Sociographic Mapping of Roma Communities (SMARK) 2025. This is not a population census but the creation of a detailed map of living conditions to make aid more targeted. Overall, the issue of housing search and its quality remains one of the most acute in the country.
Scale of the problem: not only shacks
The study covered 851 municipalities where at least 30% of the population are Roma (živnosť - small business license) and 1142 Roma locations within their territory. It turned out that shacks as a type of housing exist in 337 of these locations.
However, the problem is not limited to homemade houses. The data show a sharp difference in housing quality depending on its location:
- Outside the boundaries of settlements: In isolated settlements, the situation is the worst. 56% of residents live in housing not put into operation — these are shacks, mobile homes (unimobunky), caravans, or other temporary structures. Only 44% have legalized houses or apartments.
- On the outskirts of settlements: Here the situation is somewhat better but still worrying. The proportion is almost mirrored: 56% live in legal housing, and 44% in unauthorized housing.
- Inside settlements: Roma communities integrated into towns and villages have the best conditions. 85% of residents live in houses and apartments that meet building standards, and only 15% in problematic housing.
Thus, geographic segregation directly affects access to decent living conditions.
East versus West: geography of inequality
The housing problem for Roma communities is most acute in eastern Slovakia. According to the study, two-thirds of all locations with shacks (225 out of 337) are in the eastern regions of the country.
The largest Roma settlements are also concentrated in the east. According to new data, the largest such community in Slovakia is now Jarovnice, which has surpassed the notorious Košice-Luník IX district. At the same time, in the village of Lomnička, the Roma population share reaches 100%.
This concentration of poverty and poor housing conditions in the east creates a closed circle that is hard to break without targeted state support.
Overcrowding and lack of infrastructure
Another aspect highlighted by the study is housing overcrowding.
- In settlements outside and on the outskirts of populated areas, an average of seven people live in one dwelling (regardless of whether it is a house, apartment, or shack).
- In Roma households inside towns and villages, this figure is somewhat lower — on average five people.
Such conditions not only create discomfort but also complicate hygiene and negatively affect health, especially of children. Often this is combined with lack of access to drinking water, sewage, and stable electricity supply. Although the SMARK 2025 study records some improvements in infrastructure access compared to 2019, the problem remains relevant for many communities.
What’s next: from data to action
As the Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities Alexander Daško notes, the goal of SMARK 2025 is to provide authorities with a tool for making specific and targeted decisions. The data help identify where problems are most acute and where to direct financial and organizational assistance.
During 2026, the Plenipotentiary’s Office has already approved several projects to improve housing conditions. For example, in July, a competition was announced for nearly 35.3 million euros for the construction and reconstruction of social housing in municipalities from the "Atlas of Roma Communities." Projects for building new apartments in the communities of Rudňany, Chminianske Jakubovany, Bystrany, and others were also supported, which should provide housing for hundreds of people.
These steps show that the authorities are using the collected data for real actions. However, the scale of the problem is such that solving it will require years of systematic work and significant investments.
