Palma reports a record number of homeless people – aid workers sound the alarm

More people on the streets—and that in the middle of Palma

In the mornings when you walk through the old town – at Plaça del Mercat or along the Paseo Marítimo – you currently see more people with blankets and luggage than a few years ago. The mobile unit of the Red Cross reports that this year they have already cared for almost 2,000 people – more than in an entire previous year. Volunteers I met on the edge of La Lonja look visibly exhausted: \"Every day new cases come,\" says María, a volunteer, and pushes the coffee cup aside.

Work, but no housing

The worrying thing: Many of those affected have income or even regular jobs. Tradespeople, service staff, fathers – they all still fall into nothingness because rents in Palma have continued to rise in recent months. Apartments are scarce, deposits and commissions consume the little savings. Even families with children are on social welfare lists.

Aid offers reaching their limits

The city’s emergency shelters are often full, temporary programs run on a shoestring. Mobile teams distribute blankets and warm meals, bring people to day centers and arrange medical help. Nevertheless, helpers report that resources are not enough – especially when nights become colder. In neighborhoods like El Terreno or Portixol, camps and sleeping places are more visible, says a supervisor who has been on duty for years.

Political proposals are on the table: short-term conversion of vacant apartments into social housing, temporary rent caps, and stronger pressure on large housing providers. But changes take time, and the people on the streets need them now.

What neighbors and visitors can do

Some things help immediately: warm clothing, canned goods, or a tip to counseling centers. Local initiatives coordinate donations and look for spaces for transitional housing. Those who want to help can contact welfare associations and charitable projects in Palma – and often a few hours of volunteer work are enough to support someone on a bad day.

Conclusion: The situation is serious and continues to grow. Palma needs short-term solutions for acute need and longer-term strategies against the causes: vacant apartments, rising rents, and too few social housing units. Until then, volunteers, mobile teams, and neighborhoods remain the first point of contact for people without a roof over their heads.