Prague: Two new hostels for the homeless
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Representatives of non-profit organizations in an open letter to the City of Prague called for accommodation for all homeless people who are staying in hotels rented cities since the coronavirus pandemic. Leases expire in the middle of the year and the organization threatens dozens of people to end up back on the streets. City councilor Adam Zábranský (Pirates), who is in charge of housing, said on Tuesday that the municipality would open two new hostels for about 90 people, and is considering extending the rent of some hostels. According to him, there are now about 180 guests.
The hotel leased the hotel facilities in 2020 to provide accommodation for a stove of homeless people in connection with a pandemic. He extended the municipal leases several times, most recently last year. Now people are accommodated in four facilities, incoming rentals will end at the end of June. The city also used their capacity to accommodate homeless people in the winter months.
According to non-profit organizations operating in the facility, dozens of people are at risk of returning to the streets. “It simply came to our notice then considerably endangering their health, and in some of them their lives. This will also, among other things, significantly undermine the value of social counseling provided to these people in recent months and years, “said the Salvation Army, Hope and Homes, Homelike in an open letter.
According to Zábranský, the use of hostels for winter measures complicated the situation, which, compared to the original assumptions, meant a renewed increase in their clients. The municipality is now considering options, as two hostels will not be suitable in the future for all currently accommodated. According to the councilor, a further extension of part of the hotel facilities is also considered. He added that non-profit organizations should also tell the city if they can continue to provide social services for residents.
Commissioning of hostels
However, according to Zábranský, the municipality cannot extend the leases indefinitely and it was clear from the beginning that only a fraction of the thousands of homeless people in Prague help. The system solution should be the commissioning of a sufficient number of city hostels. The councilor added that if it had failed to provide permanent housing for all, he would still consider the project a success, as more than a hundred people were able to find permanent housing.
A new center for homeless people was created in the area of Malešický zámeček
Author: ČTK / Šimánek Vít