The emergency shelter is a key municipal service for guaranteeing housing for individuals in a crisis situation and unable to access their usual dwelling. These types of facilities not only provide service for people who have lost their homes from a fire or flooding but also play a key role in broader social emergencies, such as the terrorist attack in the Rambla in 2017 and shelter for Ukrainian refugees. 

Up to now, the city had roughly a hundred places available, located in the upper floor of the CUESB. The extension, which was carried out through the construction of the new emergency shelter, has enabled the service to double its capacity, which will now be able to providing accommodation for 200 people. What is more, a third facility located in Passatge del Dos de Maig has 75 additional places available, now in service. 

A new facility in record time 

The new Emergency Shelter, which was put up in a mere 8 months, has two 650-square-metre floors, 15 rooms, 100 permanent places and 4 extra places. The upper floor is for accommodation, while the ground floor has a reception, shelter and stay spaces, a luggage room, a wardrobe, a dining room and sick-bay and social-work service facilities and management. Some 3.35 million euros have been allocated to providing and extending the service. 

The Barcelona Social Emergencies Centre (CUESB) is centralising all its services relating to social-crisis situations and consists of a team of 93 people: social workers, psychologists and logistics-intervention experts, who are organised in shifts to assist city residents face to face and provide other administrative services. It has a fleet of 8 vehicles for transporting its team of professionals during interventions and providing logistical support to people when needed. 

2021 saw some 37,718 individuals assisted, 42.3% more than in the previous year. The number of cases of assistance rose to 254, lasting an average of 34 hours. The CUESB’s annual budget is 5.58 million euros. 

CUESB’s practical information 

• • It provides a service to a total of 2.7 million people in Barcelona and 24 metropolitan area municipalities. 
  • It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 
  • It is located in Carrer de la Llacuna, 25, in Poblenou. 
  • It has a freephone helpline service: 900 703 030. 
  • Further information from the CUESB website.