Santa Cruz Seeks Ombudsman's Help Amid Homelessness "Pull Effect"
Santa Cruz, facing a growing homeless population exacerbated by a "pull effect" from other areas, has appealed to the regional ombudsman for assistance and threatens legal action amid strained resources and unmet requests for support from other authorities.
The Santa Cruz City Council has, for the first time, asked the Deputy of the Common (a regional ombudsman) for help with the growing number of homeless people in the city.
According to Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez, the city is experiencing a "pull effect," with 55% of the homeless people they assist coming from other towns. He also claims some councils are paying for services in Santa Cruz to send their homeless there.
The mayor is asking the Canary Islands Government, the Island Council, and other local councils for more support. He hasn't ruled out taking legal action as a last resort.
Data from the Comprehensive Care Service for Homeless People shows the extent of the problem. Between January and August, they helped 732 people, with over 55% (403 people) coming from other areas. Most are men (81%) aged 40 to 65, with women making up 19%. To receive city help, 61% (450 people) are registered in Santa Cruz. 38% of those they help are foreign, with 17% having irregular immigration status.
Mental health is a major concern, with 30% (222 people) having a diagnosed or suspected mental health issue requiring specialist care. The city's accommodation is almost full (98.7% occupancy), and they've had to reject 1,346 applications this year due to lack of space. Currently, 27 city-funded places are taken by people who should be in regional healthcare facilities, with 39 more waiting for placement. The city says that "no place has been awarded this year," causing a "structural collapse."
Mayor Bermúdez said, "This problem worries us, but we can't handle it alone. Other authorities need to take responsibility and urgently respond to a situation that's beyond the city's capabilities. We've increased the Social Services budget to €36 million and improved direct care, accommodation, and support programs, but other public bodies aren't doing their part."
He added that meetings with relevant authorities to request more mental health and social care resources have been unsuccessful. New meetings are planned with businesses, restaurants, neighborhood groups, and charities to ask for their help.
The mayor emphasized that while the city council has helped 178 people out of homelessness in the past year, the number could be even higher if everyone did their job. He noted that while the number of homeless hasn't significantly increased, the problem has worsened due to mental health issues.
He's asking the Canary Islands Government's Mental Health department to create more social care resources like supported housing, mini-residences, or street care teams. He believes it's wrong to discharge people with acute mental health crises from hospitals back onto the streets. He also requested the Island Council to provide social care places across the island to reduce the "pull effect" towards Santa Cruz. "We've requested resources for 27 specific people, and none have been admitted," the mayor said.
He also demanded that other councils "comply with the Social Services law," and if they lack resources, the Island Council should provide them. He's also asking the Prosecutor's Office and the justice system for help. "We've sent 21 reports requesting guardianship for the most serious mental health cases, as a judge must authorize intervention without the person's consent. Five have been rejected, eight are unanswered, and the rest have been accepted. I'm asking for quick action or legal reform to prevent people from dying on the streets, as has already happened," he said.
The mayor is hopeful that funding will soon be available to address homelessness in the city. The first step has been to seek protection from the Deputy of the Common due to the lack of response from public authorities. "The last step will be to go to court," he stated.
Charín González, the Councilor for Social Policies, mentioned that the city council invests €4 million annually in homelessness resources like shelters, emergency housing, homes for homeless youth, mobile outreach teams, and the CMA (Accommodation Center). "These people aren't just numbers; they're people with lives," she said. The city also plans to decentralize the 100 shelter places into 20 locations throughout the city to prevent homeless people from sleeping in surrounding areas.