Written by Sohini Bhattacharjee
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, homelessness in Spain was a constant and increasing challenge. The economic crisis of 2008 created a large income gap and contributed to high unemployment rates. While Spain has been gradually recovering from the crisis, as of 2022, the unemployment rate stands at 13.7%, which is more than double the average of Europe, while youth unemployment is at 30.6%. The effects of Covid-19 on the economic capabilities of the country as a whole but specifically the homeless population have been devastating. Covid-19 coupled with ineffective existing policy has made the issue of homelessness in Spain vastly overlooked. The aid of financial assistance policy and housing policy were not sufficient to aid homeless populations. In fact, the virus made the homeless population particularly vulnerable.
“If people experiencing homelessness don’t get the empowerment-based support they need to get off the streets, they will die in the streets of the city they are living in, while receiving a never-ending supply of basic assistance that helps them survive to a certain extent instead of helping them thrive.”
During March of 2020, there was a government-imposed lockdown in Spain that was deemed to be the best strategy to keep people safe. However, many people were forced to stay on the streets with even less resources than before. Day centers and soup kitchens closed gradually and more people found themselves challenged with homelessness. As the streets became eerily empty, the informal sector and panhandling died off as well.
Small firms even struggled to stay afloat. With limited financial, managerial and technological resources, responding to such a dire financial crisis was impossible and technological alternatives are inaccessible to those without the necessary equipment. Telework is not an option for many people.
Picture captured by Sohini Bhattacharjee of a local business that closed down
Because many homeless people accrue their only revenue from the informal sector or businesses that permanently closed, lockdowns terminated their only income stream. Walking through the streets of Barcelona, I witnessed various shops permanently closed and awaiting new owners or renters. Head of Madrid’s social emergency department, Dario Perez, spoke about hoping for the pandemic’s gradual slowing to return the informal sector back to some sort of normalcy.
In May of 2020, the Spanish government approved a financial assistance plan for a minimum income scheme. The Social Security Ministry aimed to triple the existing number of families receiving some sort of minimum income through previously established schemes. However, according to a report by Caritas, a charity organization, 96.4% families that use aid from Caritas had not received financial aid after applying while 12.8% had their applications rejected. But there has also been a sizable contingent who never applied due to lack of information. According to the report, 67% said they did not have enough information to request financial aid.
Housing policy is another important governmental aspect to helping reduce homelessness. Housing requirements and guaranteed housing for everyone emerge as an even more pressing issue in the face of Covid-19. Without anywhere to go for protection, homeless people who rough sleep became the most vulnerable population in terms of health and safety. On November 6th of 2015, Spain adopted the Comprehensive National Strategy for the Homeless 2015 - 2020 to decrease the homeless population from 23,000 to 18,000 in 2020. Within it are plans to increase social inclusion and reduce homelessnes. The biggest contributions of this plan were the introduction of counseling services, financial support for consumption in a household and rent, and case managers for homeless people. But due to inadequate governmental coordination and integration, the plan has not been hugely successful. According to FEANTSA, as of 2017, the proportion of affordable housing had not changed. Local governments are able to provide subsidies for housing but unfortunately, the average maximum is ten euros per month barely making a dent in necessary housing payments. Then, with the onset of Covid-19, lost jobs and economic hardships, housing policy was more crucial than ever. Individuals, who have experienced homelessness state,
“If people who had housing during COVID were denied proper medical treatment, and those suffering chronic pathologies didn’t receive proper continual treatment, image how many homeless people were affected and left unvisited and untreated.”
“We know that the homeless community lacked access to basic supplies, such as masks and hand sanitisers. I’m not sure if it the same in Spain as in the UK, but many GP surgeries were wrongly turning people away without an address.
Now we have ‘long covid,’ which again will disproportionately have an impact on the poorer side of society.”
Picture captured by Sohini Bhattacharjee of a rough sleeping set up.
According to HogarSí, over 7000 emergency spaces emerged in addition to those already established to house and provide space for homeless individuals and groups. Even this measure taken by the Spanish government was not adequate to give every homeless person space. On top of that, these spaces became spreaders due to the amount of people and lack of space.
“In the first waves of the Covid19 pandemic, in Barcelona, where we provide free medical service to vulnerable people, from the NGO Salut Sense Sostre, we are not aware of infections from homeless people. Obviously they are outdoors and without social contact, therefore, they have little chance of contagion.
When the vaccination campaigns began, you had to register via the web, which is unthinkable for vulnerable populations without resources. We finally managed to coordinate with CAP Gòtic (ICS) to vaccinate our patients.
The homeless problem is not Covid. They have other more important health problems, especially mental health, dental health, podiatry, dermatology... Although the public health system is universal, and from Salut Sense Sostre we help them process the health card, many do not travel to health centers More so when it’s urgent. Health services must travel to serve them where they are. Hence the meaning of our association, which provides free medical services to vulnerable people, voluntarily and in addition to public entities.
In the last three waves we have detected some cases, through rapid antigen tests, but fortunately they have been mild and we have not had to transfer to hospitals. There have been 6 in the first trimester and 4 in the second. Only one person had to be confined in the Sant Joan de Déu Serveis Socials residence in Barcelona-Hort de la Vila.”
Covid-19 brought to light some of the challenges the homeless population faces but moreover, made clear that homeless individuals are often overlooked by the government. Covid-19 was not the beginning of insufficient government aid to the homeless, but rather, it worsened the already struggling structure within government everywhere. In Spain, financial assistance and housing policies have not been able to curb the existence of homelessness. Covid-19 in addition to these ineffective policies are making homeless individuals even more vulnerable in Spain today.
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