Homelessness in Barcelona is a growing and complex issue, posing a major social challenge. The city council estimates that around 1,500 people sleep on the streets, not counting those living in informal settlements. The number continues to rise, and organisations like the Arrels Foundation warn that support services are stretched to their limits.
“There is saturation,” the foundation reports. “We see more people, both on the streets and in open centres. There are more new faces, and shelter waiting lists are endless. There simply aren’t enough places to cover basic needs.”
Arrels has criticised Barcelona City Council for tackling homelessness mainly from security and cleanliness perspectives, while neglecting the social response. This becomes especially clear during settlement evictions, such as those carried out this summer. “These interventions only move people elsewhere without addressing the problem. It’s displacement, not a solution.”
The profile of people sleeping rough is also changing. Increasingly, young people and women are affected, driven by housing and employment crises. Arrels’ latest report shows that 10% of respondents were women and 15% were aged 18 to 29. Women often resist longer before ending up on the streets, but when they do, they face greater risks of gender-based violence and sexual abuse.
For young people, the picture is equally troubling. The average age is around 24, with many new to living rough, often after leaving child protection centres. This demographic shift reflects broader challenges: unaffordable housing, unstable employment, and weak support systems during vulnerable life transitions.
The crisis highlights not just individual hardship but systemic failings in Barcelona’s social infrastructure. Emergency accommodation is limited, bureaucratic processes are slow, and mental health resources are inadequate.
Social workers stress that current strategies focus on managing the visible aspects of homelessness rather than tackling its root causes. As a result, many individuals are caught in a cycle, repeatedly returning to the streets without access to long-term, sustainable solutions.
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