Almost all of the 150 homeless people who were given temporary accommodation in Palma during the coronavirus lockdown are moving to other shelters and some are making the leap to supervised apartments.
After spending more than two months indoors they’re being given the chance to get off the streets, according to the Consell Mallorquí d'Ifers Socials, or IMAS.
“They've adapted perfectly well, carrying out activities to pass the time during confinement and now that we are back to normal, we don't want to put them back on the street again, so we are looking for a solution,” says Javier de Juan, President of IMAS.
The Consell de Mallorca referred a hundred homeless people to the Sant Ferran Sports Centre and Son Pardo racecourse and another 50 people were accommodated in Son Moix.
Last week those housed in Son Pardo were relocated to three La Sapiència Foundation Centres, which are Managed by Bisbat, but financed and coordinated by IMAS.
Of the 50 people given temporary shelter at Son Moix, 16 have already moved to Municipal Centres and IMAS is coordinating the search for a housing solution for the rest.
“We were the first people nationwide to set up a hostel for these people on March 16, then on March 25, Son Pardo was enabled,” said the Consell de Mallorca.
As normality returns Institutions are desperately looking for alternative housing because after two months of confinement indoors, these people no longer want to be homeless.
Solution
"Last week we dismantled Son Pardo and the truth is, it's difficult to find a solution for a hundred people", explains De Juan.
IMAS is trying to find accommodation for them at Centres or, through the Housing line, so that they can have a second chance at a normal life.
80 people have already been integrated into the housing accommodation program, but “the goal by the end of the year is to get another 80 more places and we have already found apartments with 25 places,” says De Juan.
Everything has gone smoothly despite the difficulties of the situation.
"We have been surprised by how well they’ve managed, there’s a stigma that these people want to live on the street, which may be true in some cases, but for most of these people this is an opportunity to leave the streets and start again,” he said.
No Coronavirus Cases
During the first days of the State of Emergency everyone was concerned about contracting coronavirus and the fear was even more acute amongst those who are vulnerable, but there were no Covid-19 infections amongst those in temporary accommodation.
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Nice initiative and good to see this whole corona thing, has also brought something positive. Good luck to them!