Homelessness in Barcelona has reached a critical point: according to the latest data, nearly two thousand people are sleeping on the city’s streets. The issue of the city authorities’ failure to address this problem took center stage at an emergency city council meeting held on Friday. The discussion was initiated by representatives of Junts and Barcelona en Comú, joined by members from ERC and PP. They unanimously declared that Mayor Jaume Collboni and his team’s policies had failed to curb the rising number of people left without shelter.
During the session, councilors emphasized that the city administration had failed to offer effective solutions as the situation continues to worsen. As a result of the discussion, a special plan was approved allocating 60 million euros for the remainder of the current municipal government’s term. This move aims to address mounting criticism and attempt to turn the situation around.
Council debate
The debate took place against the backdrop of a recent meeting organized by the Generalitat, where representatives from thirty municipalities and public organizations sought to develop joint measures. That same week, Barcelona’s city government announced the creation of a special task force to find solutions.
Deputy Mayor for Social Rights Raquel Gil acknowledged the scale of the problem, stating that coordinated action is needed across all of Catalonia to address it. She said the city already spends €51 million on support for the homeless, but that this is not enough. Gil emphasized that homelessness is a complex issue linked not only to housing, but also to employment, education, and healthcare. She called on the opposition to stop engaging in populism and to support joint efforts at all levels of government.
Opposition criticism
Junts MP Assumpció Laïlla pointed to a sharp rise in the number of homeless people—a 43% increase over two years. She stressed that the problem has affected all areas of the city, not just individual neighborhoods. Barcelona en Comú representative Carol Recio linked the crisis to the housing market and criticized the administration for not providing new shelters or emergency accommodations. According to her, previous proposals have not been implemented, and the city hall ignores recommendations from NGOs.
Speaking on behalf of ERC, Eva Baró called the situation an ’emergency’ and urged immediate action at both the city and Catalonia level. She also warned that unresolved issues could be exploited by radical political forces for their own benefit.
Positions of other parties
PP deputy Antonio Verdera stated that without increased funding, any talk of solutions would be nothing but empty words. Vox representative Liberto Senderos, whose party voted against the proposed plan, accused the authorities of lacking self-criticism and called for tougher measures against informal settlements.
As a result, the council approved an action plan for the remainder of its term with a budget of 60 million euros. The document includes the creation of infrastructure to support the homeless in all city districts, an expansion of the Housing First program, and additional resources for people with addictions. In addition, city authorities plan to seek increased funding from the Catalonian government.
