Diocesan Caritas of Tenerife denounces “the lack of a planned response” to people experiencing homelessness on the Island in the face of emergencies and adverse meteorological phenomena. The entity states that “most of the municipalities do not have contingency plans” that protect those who live on the street against rainy, cold or windy storms. It demands “that spaces be enabled where they can take refuge.”
The cold and rain hit a good part of the Island this week. A circumstance that once again highlights the harsh reality faced by the group of people without a roof over their heads. Cáritas details that “this type of meteorological phenomenon has serious consequences on the community”, a large part of which lives in ravines, poor infrastructure, of a temporary nature, or directly on the street. Most of the 31 municipalities of Tenerife, according to Caritas, “lacks emergency plans that include these situations or do not protect the homeless.” This makes them once again invisible. The need becomes even more urgent as long as the sanitary restrictions due to the pandemic are maintained, since many public places where they took refuge when it rained, such as libraries or citizen centers, have been closed.
1,784
Homeless. They are the ones who, according to the First Study on Extreme Residential Exclusion, are homeless on the Island of Tenerife. Of these, 603 spend the night in public spaces outdoors. Homeless.
action protocols
The humanitarian organization of the Catholic Church calls for “action protocols in the face of these emergencies.” This is proposed by the I Study on Extreme Residential Exclusion in Tenerife, published last year. That report counts 1,784 people in this situation on the Island. Of these, 603 spend the night in public spaces outdoors; 470 stay in a hostel-type night resource and spend the day on the street; 226 reside in dwellings with an insecure tenure regime; 318 in temporary or self-constructed structures (shacks, caves, etc.) and 167 in semi-ruined accommodation that is not appropriate.
60% of the people in extreme residential exclusion on the Island have been homeless for more than a year. In 33.7% of the cases there are more than three. Homelessness has a greater presence in the metropolitan area, although it is a reality that affects the entire Island. Cáritas recalls that “housing is a necessary Human Right to preserve the dignity of all people.” He alludes to the global pandemic caused by Covid-19, a factor to “relocate ourselves on a new map, in a much more fragile and vulnerable society.” The harsh reality of those who are in a situation of extreme residential exclusion and survive in unhealthy and undignified places. Also in Tenerife
The work shows that people in a situation of extreme residential exclusion are denied the exercise of their citizenship and are deprived of basic rights such as health care, housing, social protection or registration. Cáritas makes a concrete proposal of urgent social need on the Island. It goes through enabling spaces where homeless people can take refuge from meteorological adversities. No more no less.
More than a year on the street
60% of the people in extreme residential exclusion on the Island have been homeless for more than a year. In 33.7% of the cases there are more than three. Homelessness has a greater presence in the metropolitan area, although it is a reality that affects the entire Island. Cáritas recalls that “housing is a necessary Human Right to preserve the dignity of all people.” He alludes to the global pandemic caused by Covid-19, a factor to “relocate ourselves on a new map, in a much more fragile and vulnerable society.” The harsh reality of those who are in a situation of extreme residential exclusion and survive in unhealthy and undignified places. Also in Tenerife. | jdm
