San Sebastián's city council has withdrawn permission for volunteer groups to distribute nightly meals to homeless residents, citing hygiene and public-order concerns. The decision, announced by Mayor Jon Insausti of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), immediately halts the so-called “cenas solidarias,” which have provided food to hundreds of people at several locations in the city since 2020. From now on, only official municipal food programs can serve people in need on the streets.
The move affects more than 300 people who regularly relied on Kaleko Afari Soliarioak, a volunteer-run initiative launched during the pandemic to address basic food needs for people living rough. Volunteers funded and prepared the meals, serving them at four basic points across the city, including the Parte Vieja, Anoeta and central squares. Organizers say their work went beyond food: volunteers also helped with transport and medical needs, as well as navigating social services.
Mayor Insausti justified the ban by citing an increase in neighborhood complaints and police interventions near distribution sites. He pointed to a 20% drop in crime in Egia after one meal point closed, while police callouts doubled at other active locations. The city says reports from its public space, health, social action and municipal police departments informed the ban. All highlighted cleanliness issues and neighborhood tensions.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from volunteers and opposition parties. Kaleko Afari Soliarioak accuses the mayor of yielding to pressure from the Partido Popular (PP), which has long campaigned against the street dinners, arguing that they breach regulations and disrupt local life. The PP and PSE-EE, coalition partners in the city government, have both endorsed the ban. EH Bildu and Sumar, meanwhile, have condemned it as unjustified and harmful to the city’s most vulnerable residents.
Volunteers say the city did not consult them before the ban and warn that hundreds will lose access to evening meals overnight. They are urging the city to open additional social dining facilities immediately and recognize the value of their work. In a letter to the mayor, volunteer Mariaje Etxabe rejected claims of persistent disorder or unsanitary conditions. She insisted incidents were rare and volunteers cleared all waste after each meal service.
The dispute comes amid a wider debate over the scale and coordination of homelessness support in the city. On October 20, Insausti called for cooperation among municipalities in Donostialdea, the Basque Government and the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council. He said the Basque Government was providing 416 meals, while acknowledging that “this response is not sufficient.” The figure counts meals, not individual recipients. The mayor linked the response to social inclusion and employment support, as well as accompaniment intended to help people move toward greater autonomy.
In response, the city council has pledged to increase its annual food assistance budget from €1.5 million to €2 million, aiming to provide 416 meals a day, up from the current 316. The expanded program will prioritize registered residents and people with at least three months’ local ties. Under the municipal scheme, recipients can redeem meal vouchers at local bars and restaurants. The city will not distribute food directly on the street, as volunteers did.
Speaking about the situation in Egia, Insausti said that “nobody will be left on the street” and stressed the need to consider individual circumstances. The city says its approach combines food assistance with coordinated social services, training and employment measures. That places the dispute over volunteer dinners within a broader debate about service capacity and institutional responsibility, including how support is delivered.
The dispute in San Sebastián reflects broader tensions in Spain over how cities manage homelessness and public space. Similar challenges have emerged elsewhere, including recent mass evacuations in Ávila and Madrid due to wildfires, when local authorities and volunteers had to adapt support quickly for vulnerable populations. The issue is detailed in coverage of emergency shelter efforts in Talavera de la Reina. As Spanish municipalities balance public order with social support, the outcome in San Sebastián may influence similar policies in other regions.
Homelessness remains a persistent challenge in Spain, where local governments often struggle to provide adequate services amid rising housing costs and social pressures. The shift from volunteer-led street meals to official voucher systems changes how aid reaches people and raises questions about accessibility and the role of grassroots initiatives in urban welfare.
