On Monday, a temporary shelter for the homeless, set up in the Pinar de San José center in the La Latina district, closed its doors in Madrid. Since July, dozens of people who had previously been asked to leave the Barajas airport terminals had been staying there. City authorities stated that all former residents have already been relocated to other municipal facilities, and no one has been left without a roof over their head. However, exact details on the relocations are promised to be published later.
The closure of the center has reignited tensions between city hall and Aena, the company managing the airport. Aena representatives expressed frustration that the shelter ended its operation just as colder weather arrives in the capital. They also pointed out that local authorities failed to fulfill part of the agreements made in the spring and did not carry out the promised census of the homeless at the airport.
The temporary shelter opened on July 14, was designed for 150 people, and cost the city budget nearly one million euros. Only those registered in Madrid or already under the care of social services were eligible to stay. Meals, showers, laundry, a cloakroom, and even transport cards were provided for residents. However, in reality, no more than 57 people were staying at the center in August, representing only a small portion of the overall homeless population who slept at the airport. The rest were forced to seek shelter on the streets, in parks, and building entrances around the city.
City officials explained that the closure is due to the need to prepare the building for the annual winter assistance campaign for those in need, which begins at the end of November. According to city authorities, the decision to open the shelter was made unilaterally, as Aena, in their view, did not fulfill its cooperation obligations. The company, in turn, claims that city officials failed in their responsibilities and closed the center at the wrong time.
The situation with homeless people in Barajas has led to a prolonged standoff between the municipality and the airport administration. In the spring, the parties signed a cooperation agreement, but by July, Aena insisted on evicting all homeless people from the terminals, which sparked a strong reaction from city officials. At the height of the crisis, up to 500 people were spending the night at the airport, but most of them never received a place in the municipal shelter.
The ASAE airport workers’ union is now demanding the return of round-the-clock municipal police patrols in Barajas and the reopening of the police station in Terminal T4. In their view, the airport is the country’s face, and the situation with the homeless should not harm Spain’s image. The fate of those who have lost their temporary shelter remains unresolved.
