San Fernando homeless rights group demands expanded housing alternatives

The association ‘Personas Sin Hogar con Derechos’ (Pesho-De) has filed formal objections regarding the new Municipal Ordinance for Alternative Accommodation Services in San Fernando, Spain. While the ordinance recognizes the right to dignified housing, the association argues that it is too limited because it focuses almost exclusively on the municipal shelter, which has insufficient capacity to meet demand.

Citing Andalusia’s Social Services Law 9/2016, which establishes alternative accommodation as a guaranteed subjective right, Pesho-De is calling on the City Council to implement a protocol for immediate referral to other municipal or contracted resources when the shelter is full or unsuitable. Proposed solutions include agreements with hostels, emergency devices, or other municipal facilities.

The group criticized the current rotating accommodation model, which only allows individuals to stay under a roof for a few days before returning to the streets, stating it causes “insecurity, anxiety, and suffering.” The association estimates that over one hundred people are experiencing homelessness in San Fernando.