Photo credit: Euronews
In the spring of 2024, the Rome City Council allocated 4.3 million euros for four giant tented shelters offering refuge during winter months.
Euro News reports that two of them are ready for opening.
Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said, “All four marquees will be built. They are proceeding according to plan and will be ready for the start of the Jubilee,” in reference to the year-long Vatican Jubilee, a church tradition dating back to the 15th century that encourages the faithful to make pilgrimages to Rome.
Apart from the delays, with around 240-250 shelter spaces, the chosen plan remains a solution that will only serve a small fraction of the 22,000 homeless population.
During the inauguration of the structure, Barbara Funari, the councillor for Social Policies of the Municipality of Rome, emphasized that the city is working to expand its reception capabilities.
Most of the homeless people are between the ages of 40 and 49. In most cases, they sleep rough. They are primarily Italian, Romanian, Somali, and Moroccan.
The Caritas Poverty Report 2024 highlights how absolute poverty in Italy has reached a new peak, involving 5.7 million people, equal to almost ten per cent of the population. It highlights how this condition of extreme need is not only economic but also multidimensional, involving factors such as access to housing, health and education.
