The Minister of Social Rights, Social Economy and Employment of the Regional Government, Carmen Maeztusaid Tuesday that there has been an increase in the number of homeless people in Navarra in recent years and also an “increase in resources and budgets to respond.”
As specified, we recorded an increase from 3,713 services in 2020 to 5,887 at the end of 2023. “This is an increase in services of almost 60%”, he said, stressing that “it is possible because we have significantly strengthened the budget. ” of the Government of Navarre in aactions, systems and resources aimed at inclusion homeless people.
Maeztu detailed that the budget allocated by the Government of Navarra has increased by 65% since 2021, “going from 1,600,000 euros to 2,600,000 euros this year in 2024”.
This is what he commented on in the parliamentary committee, at the request of EH Bilduto talk about the “Roadmap for assistance to the homeless in Navarre”.
The advisor indicated that the road map for the support for the homeless in Navarre This is a working document already completed, completed in June, and promoted by the Department of Social Rights to “offer an interinstitutional and interministerial response for the reorganization of services for homeless people in Navarre”.
As detailed, “he was born with the vocation of constitute a tool for consensual identification of areas for improvement and for the delimitation of responsibilities between the different institutions”, as well as to promote a “stable work space” between the different agents.
The councilor explained that “there has been a significant increase in this phenomenon in our Community and in general also in all Autonomous Communities and Europe“And he emphasized that the profiles that deserve priority attention in Navarre are young migrants, adults in more chronic situations, women and families with minors.
Maeztu underlined that “the work carried out has made it possible to detect great strengths in our healthcare system” and that “the existing systems and resources to be promoted have been identified, such as social integration housing programs (VAIS), integration in housing is a question (EISOVI), the new Kideak resource for young migrants, the Housing First model, soup kitchens and shelters with differentiated care programs “These resources contribute to the response,” he commented.
The advisor explained that the roadmap establishes where the provision of resources and services should focus in the future and highlights some specific areas such as more housing, “with psychosocial and socio-educational supports“; social support, “with itineraries of varying intensity”; centrality in the person and their vital processes, “exceeding care based on the rigid application of standards”; joint work between various sectoral areas and inter-administrative cooperation and inter-departmental responsibility.
The councilor also explained that this medium-term work “should not mean neglecting the most urgent” and clarified that he was working with the Pamplona City Council taking concrete measures that will be financed by the Regional Executive and which have been shared. . between the two administrations to act this winter. This is how he mentioned the Cold Campaign, which will be activated from November 1 to March 31, with 30 additional places and professional social support for individuals and families.
As he said, “This involves 165 accommodation places for the homeless in different municipal resources, 30 more places than last year.” “The main novelty concerns the specific attention that will be given, since it will be taken care of throughout the day, and not only at night as until now , both people with more than a year of registration in Pamplona as homeless people”, he explained, emphasizing that “this prevents them from spending many hours on the street”.
“Be careful for more hours a social support component joined with professional teams, a key service in trying to reduce homelessness.
In this way, we seek be able to carry out social integration pathways with whom the homeless have been registering for more than a year in Pamplona to try to guarantee them an exit from their living situation on the street”, indicated the councilor who clarified that until now, “the Accommodation was only offered for nights, with barely any follow-up, which did not prevent situations of homelessness among those hosted.
For his part, parliamentarian EH Bildu Javier Arza said that homelessness is “a complex phenomenon with multiple dimensions, which cannot depend only on social rights, but also on other departments, local entities and other social entities”.
Regarding the work of the roadmap, he commented that “we are going very slowly” and ” this remains pending pending approval of the Inclusion Plan. “ “To move fast enough, it takes a lot of leadership,” he said.
The representative of the UPN Raquel Garbayo He said that “every time in Navarra and Pamplona the homeless phenomenon worsens.” “Now they present a road map and already warn in advance that it is not an operational plan, they put the bandage before the wound; they already warn that it has a guiding character,” he said. explained, to criticize “that they don’t commit to anything”. “It is a road map that will not solve the problem, that will lead to nothing,” he said, asking that “they can count on us to row in the same direction.”
THE the socialist Olga Chueca stressed that “homelessness is a very complex reality, we are talking about people, individual subjects who have needs and difficulties.”
As he commented, “eradicate homelessness “It is a priority for those who believe in social justice and equal opportunities.” “We must all participate in it, it is a shared responsibility between local entities and the Government of Navarra, in coordination with the departments,” he said.
From Geroa Baï, Isabelle Aranburu indicated that “the roadmap is a very well-worked document, developed through participation and consensus, which is a value in itself.” “We share the objectives set in the road map, the axes and the general lines,” he declared, stressing that “there are still things to do”. He asked “how all the measures in the roadmap are going to be transferred to the Inclusion Plan; and if they are completely transferred and have funding, as the advisor says, we welcome”.
The PPN parliamentarian Maribel Garcia Malo He indicated that he felt this issue was “on hold.” “You have difficulty assuming leadership on this issue,” he told the councilor, to recognize that municipal councils have powers but that “it is true that the government must assume leadership.” “Is the road map decided, is it completed, is it applied?” he asked, to express his wish to have “more clarity” on this issue.
Carlos Guzmande Contigo-Zurekin, said that homelessness is “a complex and multidimensional phenomenon” and that “the profiles of people who suffer from it have evolved and diversified.” “The big challenge is rapid intervention so that these situations do not become chronic,” he commented, indicating that “it is essential that the road map is carried out, with the broadest debate”.
Finally, Maïté Nosti, of Vox, stressed that “it is very important to know the number of homeless people and thus to plan knowing the real needs.” According to him, “the things that have been done are insufficient”.
