Escócia ao relento

The Guardian 02-10-2019, por Libby Brooks
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/oct/02/glasgow-council-facing-court-action-over-lack-of-housing-for-homeless-people 

Glasgow council facing court action over lack of housing for homeless people

Shelter Scotland is to launch a significant court action against Glasgow city council, with the charity claiming it has illegally denied temporary accommodation to homeless applicants thousands of times over the past two years.

In a legal action that could have consequences for local authorities across Scotland, the housing and homelessness charity is on Wednesday seeking a judicial review of the council’s actions after its own figures revealed that 3,365 applications for temporary accommodation had not been fulfilled in the year up to March 2019, compared with 3,055 over the previous 12 months.

In 2001 the Scottish parliament passed legislation that was considered groundbreaking at the time, requiring councils to provide a minimum of temporary accommodation, advice and assistance to all applicants assessed as being homeless. (..) 

2019-10-10

American nightmare

Deu na BBC News

08-10-2018, por Hugo Bachega

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45442596  

Homeless in US: A deepening crisis on the streets of America

Imagem:

http://thehomelesscharity.org/2018/09/26

/the-future-of-homelessness-in-america  

They seem to be almost everywhere, in places old and new, no age spared. Sleeping on cardboard or bare ground, the homeless come together under bridges and trees, their belongings in plastic bags symbolising lives on the move.

Many have arrived on the streets just recently, victims of the same prosperity that has transformed cities across the US West Coast. As officials struggle to respond to this growing crisis, some say things are likely to get worse.

Vibrant Portland, Oregon's largest city, has long lured many. It is the City of Roses, of pleasant climate, rich culture and progressive thinking. It is also an innovation hub, part of what is called Silicon Forest, and new residents have moved here in these post-recession years attracted by its high-tech companies and their well-paid jobs.

But the bonanza, unsurprisingly, has not come to everyone.

Booming demand in an area with limited housing offers quickly drove the cost of living up, and those who were financially on the limit lost the ability they once had to afford a place.

Many were rescued by family and friends, or government programmes and non-profit groups. Others, however, ended up homeless. The lucky ones have found space in public shelters. Not a few are now in tents and vehicles on the streets. (Continua)

Acesse a matéria completa pelo link 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45442596  

2018-10-09

Arquitetura anti-sem-teto

Deu no El País online

17-09-2018, por J M A Liñán, D Alameda e J Galán

https://elpais.com/sociedad/2018/09/05/actualidad/1536157307_408801.html

Una guía de la arquitectura contra los pobres en España

Las calles están salpicadas de obstáculos que impiden el descanso de las personas sin hogar que casi siempre pasan desapercibidos para el resto de ciudadanos. Este es un recorrido por la llamada 'arquitectura hostil' en una treintena de ciudades españolas.

Imagem: D.A. / El País

(..) Y, en el espacio público, ¿cómo distinguir una intención genuina, por higiene o seguridad, de una medida de marginación enmascarada? Es difícil saberlo, según el arquitecto Luis Alonso, que investiga en el Medialab del MIT (EE UU) las ciudades a partir del análisis de grandes volúmenes de datos. "En las normativas municipales jamás se pondrá algo así por escrito". Antes de trasladarse a la prestigiosa universidad norteamericana, Alonso trabajó en proyectos con municipios durante 10 años. "Algunos ayuntamientos te decían off the record: '¿Podemos encontrar alguna solución para, por ejemplo, un diseño de banco en el que no se puedan sentar?' Te lo vendían como algo antivandálico o se direccionaba la cuestión hacia la seguridad. En algún caso eran algo más explícitos: planteaban poner una barra en un banco para que la gente no se pueda tumbar".

(..) Eliminar los obstáculos de la arquitectura hostil, aunque sea necesario, no aporta una solución de fondo, como apunta Ramon Noron, responsable de incidencias de Fundació Arrels (Barcelona), dedicada específicamente a la atención de los sin hogar. “El mayor problema arquitectónico es que no hay vivienda”, sentencia el experto. “Los cajeros de los bancos o los aparcamientos no son para dormir. La gente no ‘molestaría’ en esos sitios si hubiera vivienda y alojamiento accesibles para todos, porque dormir en la calle no es normal”.

2018-09-17