Mayor Xavier Albiol has confirmed that Badalona will open its first dedicated social dining hall and a new municipal shelter. However, access to these facilities will be restricted to individuals already registered with city social services. This policy may exclude many residents recently evicted from the B9 building.
The announcement follows weeks of public pressure regarding the condition of hundreds of people sleeping rough under the C-32 motorway bridge. The council’s decision to move forward with a Badalona homeless shelter and dining facility marks a shift in local policy. However, the eligibility criteria have already sparked debate. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Catalonia’s housing crisis is predicted to worsen, adding pressure on municipalities across the region.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Home » Badalona Homeless Shelter: New Municipal Shelter and Dining Hall Announced
New Badalona homeless shelter and access restrictions
During the first plenary session of the year, Mayor Albiol outlined the plans for the new services. He stated that the social dining hall would become operational almost immediately. In addition, the council is processing the opening of a municipal shelter. This facility will be overseen by social services but managed by an external social entity. The mayor noted this model has proven effective in other towns.
Despite the expansion of services, the mayor emphasised that these resources will not be universally available. Users must pass a strict screening process administered by the Department of Social Services. Only those formally under the care or “tutelage” of the system will be granted access. This approach to emergency aid contrasts with other local initiatives. For example, an innovative cohousing project in Badalona provides long-term stability for seniors.
This requirement effectively blocks undocumented migrants and those outside the official social service circuit. Consequently, hundreds of recently evicted individuals currently living on the streets may be excluded.
Crisis under the motorway bridge
The session featured tense exchanges regarding the humanitarian situation in the Sant Roc neighbourhood. Idrissa Sisoko, a representative for the community evicted from the B9 building a month ago, addressed the council directly. He described the critical conditions facing approximately 400 people now living in a settlement under the C-32 bridge.
Sisoko highlighted that the group includes 13 children living in precarious circumstances. Therefore, he demanded that the City Council provide immediate accommodation and food for the displaced group. He argued that the current response leaves vulnerable people in a dangerous limbo.
Mayor Albiol responded by directing blame at the Spanish central government. He argued that state policies facilitate the entry of immigrants but fail to provide subsequent support. According to the report in La Vanguardia, Albiol stated the government “abandons them” after arrival. This forces local municipalities to deal with the consequences.
Dispute over unspent social funds
Opposition parties criticised the local government’s management of social resources during the debate. Spokespersons from opposing groups noted that the council had returned more than 112,000 euros in social funds to the Generalitat. They questioned how funds could remain unspent while hundreds of people remained homeless following a mass eviction.
The mayor defended the decision to return the capital. He explained that the specific funds were earmarked for social housing support. Since the council did not have the physical flats available to allocate, the money could not be legally spent. The administration maintains that the lack of available housing stock forced the return of the subsidy. This justification highlights a different strategy from that of the neighboring Barcelona City Council’s recent policy to acquire properties for affordable housing.
Get all of the news delivered to your phone via our WhatsApp Broadcast Channel .
