Extra support for the homeless during the storm

Given the combination of adverse weather conditions, with rain, cold temperatures and wind, a special operation is under way even though temperatures are not expected to drop below freezing. The extra resources bring the total number of places in municipal emergency shelters to nearly 2,900.

09/01/2021 19:58 h

Ajuntament de Barcelona

On top of the 2,700 existing beds for the city’s homeless, a hundred more places have been added at one of the halls at Fira de Barcelona. In addition, since November a hundred other places have been available in two temporary facilities activated when the preparations started for the preventive stage of the cold weather.

The operation also involves different social teams who offer rough sleepers the chance to go to the new shelter. The facility is run by the Barcelona Social Emergency and Urgent Care Centre (CUESB), with collaboration from the Catalan Red Cross and the City Police. The prevision is for this specific operation to continue for another two or three days, until the weather conditions improve.

The City Council increased its budget for helping the homeless by 30% in 2020, with 45 million euros allocated.

 

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