The result of the housing crisis: more and more people are sleeping rough

Arrels' count is stark. In just two years, almost 600 more people are sleeping on the streets of Barcelona. The total is now 1,982, and as the organization's director, Bea Fernández, admitted, this is a conservative estimate, as it only includes what volunteers were able to observe during the last count. This 43% increase in homelessness compared to two years ago doesn't surprise anyone, because we all see how more and more people are sleeping however they can on mattresses or cardboard boxes in the street. It's a true social emergency that cannot be ignored. As a society, we have a problem if we don't take action to provide some kind of solution for this transient population that can't find a place to spend the night. And while the circumstances of homelessness are very diverse, what is clear is that the housing crisis has dramatic consequences for a large part of the most vulnerable population. A few days ago, a study promoted by the Committee of Experts for Social Transformation and Innovation (CETIS) was published, clearly demonstrating this relationship. Sixty-two percent of people living on the streets, in substandard housing, or in social hostels arrived there because they lost their homes, either because they couldn't afford the rent or because they were evicted. This is far more than the number who arrived because they lost their jobs—in fact, some homeless people do have jobs, but they don't bother to rent even a room—or due to addiction or other circumstances. The profile of the homeless is changing, and in addition to the well-known circumstances—addictions, mental illness, or others—there are now those who simply have nowhere to live because the market has forced them out. The organization also highlights that the fact that there have been several mass evictions in settlements where many people lived has contributed to increasing the number of people dispersed throughout the city, which could also explain, perhaps, the increase in people simply pitching tents wherever they can.

The lack of affordable housing is one of the major challenges facing Barcelona and Catalonia. And there are urgent situations that demand immediate solutions. For now, the municipal opposition party, Junts i Comuns, has already requested a special plenary session of the City Council, hoping that it will result in specific budget allocations and facilities adapted to these needs in each district. With these or other measures, it is clear that a way must be found to provide shelter for these people, especially now that the harshest part of winter is beginning. We are part of the developed world, we live in a wealthy city compared to the vast majority of the world, and we pride ourselves on being supportive. Therefore, it should be a priority, both for the city and the country, to find ways to solve this problem at all levels more quickly and efficiently than is currently being done.