The objective of this integration is to strengthen the municipal response capacity and promote a more global vision of social inclusion processes, working in coordination with the city's social network and entities in the field. The decision was made at a meeting of the Consortium members, chaired by the mayor, Fèlix Larrosa, with the attendance of councillors and representatives from entities such as the Fundació Arrels Sant Ignasi and Jesuïtes Social. The proposal will be submitted for a vote by the Municipal Plenary.
The mayor assured that the municipal government has a solid project to eradicate homelessness, with facilities, resources, and coordinated management, as outlined in the new Inclusion Model. The deputy mayor and councillor for Social Action and Innovation, Carlos Enjuanes, argued that the Homelessness Commission of the Interdepartmental Table for Vulnerability already serves as a meeting point and space for shared decision-making. "The dissolution of the Consortium and the integration of its tasks into the Table will allow for the simplification of work mechanisms, the avoidance of administrative duplications, and the concentration of efforts in the spaces that are currently functioning," he explained.
From the Fundació Arrels, Roger Torres recalled the figure of Father Joan Sunyol and thanked them for their communication during this process, while Rosa Majoral emphasized the work still to be done to eradicate homelessness. Enjuanes highlighted that the Paeria's new Inclusion Model addresses vulnerability situations from an integral, transversal, and community-based perspective, with homelessness being a fundamental part of it.
This new approach improves coordination and the use of economic resources. It is planned to allocate the one million euros from an inheritance, received from the sale of a house in San Sebastián, to investments in facilities for the eradication of homelessness. The Consortium, created in 2011 with Càritas Diocesana de Lleida and Arrels Sant Ignasi, managed resources for projects supporting homeless people. Now, given the complexity and diversity of the issue, it is being integrated into a broader model adapted to current challenges.
The Homelessness Commission, promoted by the Lleida City Council with the participation of various departments and third-sector entities such as the Red Cross, Fundació Jericó, Càritas, Sant Joan de Déu, and Antisida Lleida, works to improve the coordination of resources and services for homeless people, establish shared criteria, and promote joint actions. The Commission has developed a mapping of resources to improve referral pathways and identify system gaps.
