The shelter for homeless people came into operation in October after fifteen months of remodelling work, including the construction of an annex to the existing facilities to adapt to a more personalised care model focusing on support and fostering people’s autonomy.
The complete revamp to the building was funded through a municipal investment of 7.02 million euros. This enabled the 1,065-square-metre ground-floor premises with places for 100 people accommodated in community rooms to become a 2,767-square-metre centre, with the same number of places but in rooms offering greater privacy (individual or up to four people) and without any bunkbeds.
Once residents move into the centre, the building’s communal and outdoor spaces will be renovated. Once this work has been completed, around April 2023, the daytime care service will have more space and capacity for assistance, offering a new hygiene and shower service able to provide service 70 times a day, a dining-room service with a capacity for 100 meals a day besides those already provided for individuals staying in the shelter, a community allotment and more.
Open 24 hours a day throughout the year, the Zona Franca shelter is run by the company Suara Serveis SCCL and helps homeless adult men suffering from social or health problems who wish to start an individual improvement plan. The facility also provides accommodation for individuals with pets.