Extra capacity to shelter vulnerable people
Extra accommodation is being created for people in vulnerable situations, the goal being to guarantee conditions during the confinement period to tackle Covid-19. In addition to the 2,200 places for the homeless in daily use, a further 385 places have now been created, mainly at Fira Barcelona.
Fira Barcelona’s hall number 7 provides 6,000 square metres of floor space, guaranteeing decent conditions for 225 homeless people and featuring rest areas, showers and a dining area.
The space is being managed by municipal specialists, the Red Cross and social entities. Its capacity can be steadily increased as needed, up to a total of 1,000 places.
Three other facilities have also been made ready: Espai Pere Calafell, with 53 places, another facility with a capacity for 30 people to be quarantined in, managed by the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, and the Dos de Maig centre, with 72 places reserved exclusively for women.
At the same time, to mitigate the effects of closures and reduced opening times at other facilities, a special operation is in place in coordination with the Centre Assís to provide hygiene, laundry and soup kitchen services.
Tourist lets for social services
The City Council will be renting two hundred tourist flats for the next two months to further increase its capacity to shelter vulnerable people.
Besides the homeless, these flats will house women victims of male violence and families with children.
