Homelessness in Catalonia: Social organisations call for €100 million boost in 2026

Catalonia's main social-sector organisations have called for at least €100 million in 2026 to support people experiencing homelessness.

The collective – the Taula d'Entitats del Tercer Sector Social de Catalunya (Catalan Third Sector Social Organisations Network), Entitats Catalanes d'Acció Social (ECAS, Catalan Social Action Groups), the Sant Joan de Déu Catalunya Association, Càritas Catalunya, and Creu Roja Catalunya (Red Cross) – urged a political response that is "urgent, decisive and coordinated" to address the rise in homelessness.

The organisations say that a model to tackle the issue "already exists and has been agreed" but note that its implementation remains "insufficient."

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the groups stressed that homelessness "is not only living on the streets," but also "often invisible forms of exclusion," such as living in unsafe, inadequate or overcrowded housing, or precarious rental situations.

They also warned that, in a context of social polarisation and a housing emergency, housing has become the "main" driver of poverty and exclusion, with a "direct" impact on rising homelessness.

Citing data from the Catalan Statistics Institute (Idescat), the organisations said the social exclusion rate in Catalonia is approaching 25%, and nearly 15% of the population is behind on housing-related payments.

Regarding homelessness, the Committee of Experts for Social Transformation and Innovation (CETIS) estimates that more than 4,700 people used support services in 2024, while many others remain uncounted.

The social sector also called for the full implementation and reinforcement of the Framework for Action on Homelessness, insisting that support for people experiencing homelessness be applied uniformly across Catalonia so that access does not depend on the municipality where someone lives.

€100 million

Xavier Trabado, president of the Catalan Third Sector Social Organisations Network, emphasised that the framework to respond to homelessness already exists, and that it is now time for action.

"To do this, we need economic resources that also reach local councils.

"The €30 million that has been allocated so far is absolutely insufficient, and we consider that €100 million is needed to ensure a guaranteed, effective response."

Trabado also called for the approval of a law addressing homelessness, which is currently under consideration in Parliament, to enable the necessary actions across Catalonia.