A coalition of Catalonia’s leading third sector organisations has issued an urgent call for a minimum investment of €100 million in 2026 to address the region’s escalating homelessness crisis. The group, which includes prominent charities such as the Taula del Tercer Sector Social, Càritas Catalunya, and Creu Roja Catalunya, warns that the current government budget is woefully insufficient and that further inaction will deepen social exclusion.
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Speaking at a joint press conference on Tuesday, the organisations criticised the €30 million allocated to combat homelessness in the Generalitat’s draft budget. They are advocating for a four-year plan that would see annual funding reach €400 million to provide a comprehensive emergency response. “They can wait no longer,” stated Xavier Trabado, president of the Taula del Tercer Sector, capturing the collective sentiment. “We know what needs to be done, and now what is needed is to take action.”
A Crisis Beyond the Streets
While the most visible aspect of the crisis is people sleeping rough, the organisations stressed that the problem is far broader. A recent count by Arrels Fundació in December found that around 2,000 people spend the night on the streets of Barcelona alone. However, the true figure for homelessness includes what the groups call “invisible forms of exclusion,” such as living in unsafe, inadequate, or overcrowded housing, and precarious rental situations without proper contracts.
The housing emergency is the primary driver of poverty in the region. According to data from the Catalan Statistics Institute (Idescat), the social exclusion rate in Catalonia is approaching 25%. The financial strain is acute, as a recent report showed Catalan homes spend 43.5% of income on basic bills, leaving little room for rising housing costs. Martí Batllori, vice-president of Càritas Catalunya, warned that the recent repeal of the national “social shield” by Congress could aggravate the situation, potentially leading to more evictions. “It pushes us into a very complex situation,” he said.
Government Strategies Fall Short
A key point of frustration is the perceived failure of the government’s existing strategy, the Marc d’Acció per a l’Abordatge del Sensellarisme (Action Framework for Addressing Homelessness). The plan, originally for 2022-2025, was extended for another year but has fallen short of its goals.
“The framework is insufficient and has not met expectations. We have identified failures that must be corrected this year,” said Beatriz Fernández, director of Arrels Fundació. A major concern is the disparity between municipalities. While some councils are following the framework’s model of providing support to foster autonomy, others remain inactive, creating a postcode lottery for those in need.
The social sector also criticised the bureaucratic inertia, highlighting the creation of up to 15 different working groups to discuss solutions. This, they argue, complicates and slows down decisive action. In addition to funding, the organisations are urging Parliament to fast-track a law to eradicate homelessness. Elections nullified the bill, first introduced in 2022, requiring it to restart its legislative process in 2025.
“Parliament has historically approved more complex and more expensive laws,” noted Salvador Maneu, director of Sant Joan de Déu Serveis Socials. He stressed that the law is essential to guarantee rights, ensure territorial equity, and establish a stable framework for action and financing.
La Vanguardia and Ara reported that the coalition, which also includes ECAS (Catalan Social Action Groups) and the Associació Sant Joan de Déu, remains united in its message: the model to tackle the crisis exists, but its implementation requires urgent and decisive political will.
