The Red Cross (Cruz Roja) are in the frontline of assisting the homeless in Mallorca. Principally operating in Palma, more people than ever are needing assistance.
Hugo Cózar, a social worker in the Red Cross's social inclusion department, describes the situation as "crazy". "People stop us at night when we go out with the mobile unit. We receive between 40 and 50 calls a day, and it's impossible to reach everyone. We have to prioritise who we're going to serve because it's crazy. We assist those in the most vulnerable situations. There are 12 of us on the team, and seven us are each handling more than 100 cases."
The mobile unit has so far assisted 1,940 people this year. The expectation is that the year will end with having attended to at least 200 more people than last year. The figure would be higher, but the Red Cross can't keep up with the demand; they are being overwhelmed. The numbers have been growing. In 2022, 1,894 people were given assistance. By 2024, there were 2,271.
While the majority of those living on the streets are single people with addictions, mental health or disability issues, an increasing number have incomes but are forced to sleep rough due to the housing emergency. "Most of them work or receive benefits, but money doesn't guarantee housing in a city where renting a room costs between 400 and 900 euros. We no longer serve single people but groups of people, some of them families with children," explains Cózar.
Shelters and residences run by Palma Town Hall and the Council of Mallorca are full. There are long waiting lists, and there is little turnover. "Not only are there more homeless people than ever, new cases are becoming chronic, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to reverse the situation."
Cózar is aware that the situation in Palma only gives a partial snapshot of what is happening in the rest of Mallorca. "In theory, the mobile unit works only in Palma, but we include parts of Llucmajor. But we don't go to other neighbouring municipalities, such as Marratxi or Calvia." There is no official count that offers a true picture of homelessness away from Palma. Each town hall assists people in its municipality through social services, but there is no single census.