Medellín’s Homeless Population: A Growing Concern

Medellín⁤ has been ‌grappling with a persistent ‌issue of street dwellings ⁤for decades, with the situation worsening year after year. The​ number of⁢ homeless people has risen significantly, from⁢ approximately 3,500 in 2019 to around 9,000⁢ by the ​end⁢ of 2023.

The city mayor’s office has implemented various strategies to address this issue, focusing on providing more‌ attention to this population and preventing further increases. These initiatives ‌include ‍strengthening intervention processes for the street⁤ population and increasing the capacity of Day Centers.

The administration has also ⁣extended service hours in the two Temporary Centers, one operating 24 hours and the ⁣other from Monday to ⁤Sunday from 6:00 am to 6:00⁢ pm. This ‍has resulted in a 131% increase in services, reaching 2,791 residents of the street so far this year.

The territorial team has expanded from 25 to 108 people, who⁢ conduct intervention circuits in different ⁤areas to persuade and refer​ street dwellers to primary ‍care centers. The Secretary ‌of Social Inclusion and Family, Sandra Sánchez, highlighted the improvements in these‌ centers, stating ‌that the goal is to intervene in areas with ⁢high concentrations of homeless‌ settlements and persuade them to seek basic‌ care processes.

These⁣ centers offer various services, ⁢including ⁣bathing, food, rest,‌ laundry ‍facilities, and psychosocial support work, which enables ‍the incorporation of individuals​ into health-related or ⁢resocialization processes. Since April, the capacity to care for the street population with psychosocial mental disorders or disabilities has increased, ⁤reaching over 300 people.

A special care shelter for recovery has also been established, providing 220 places for the homeless ​population with infectious diseases. The administration coordinates with various secretariats to develop restoration work, cleaning, and decorating activities, resulting in the dismantling ‌of 8,657 sheds and the collection of 1,438 tonnes‌ of waste‌ in 2024.

Awareness activities are also being promoted in ⁣areas such as Centro, El Poblado, Guayabal, Aranjuez, and Laureles, to discourage begging and reduce the street population.‌ These initiatives aim to address the root causes of ⁤homelessness ‌and provide support to ‍those ​in‍ need.