Carlos Moedas also stressed that his criticism is not new, nor is it related to the recent resignation of the Board of the Santa Casa by the Government.

"It is true that the municipality of Lisbon, unlike other municipalities, does not have social action delegated. The delegation of social action powers in Lisbon is to the Santa Casa da Misericórdia. What I said - and I said it over a year ago - is that, with the increase in the situation and the seriousness of the situation, I expected Santa Casa to also increase its action in this area. And, therefore, that did not happen", he said.

Carlos Moedas was speaking at the end of a meeting with other mayors and their representatives from the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) scheduled to find joint mechanisms to integrate homeless people who exist in the AML, and which may involve reception centers not only in Lisbon, but in the other municipalities.

The mayor recalled that Lisbon has a Municipal Plan for Homeless People, which foresees investments in the order of 70 million euros over seven years, but stressed that this "is a decision even of political risk", since it is not up to the Municipal Council to develop the skills in this area.

"What I ask for today is the action of Santa Casa. It is the increase in what is the response of Santa Casa itself in coordination with the Lisbon City Council", he said, stressing that historically the municipality and Santa Casa had "a very strong relationship".

According to Carlos Moedas, "this coordination, unfortunately, did not exist in the same way [in recent years], because there was a decision by the Central Government not to include" a member of the Municipal Council on the Board, which he has always criticized.

"Santa Casa da Misericórdia is essential. And we, at this moment, need its action. And, therefore, when I said that this action had not increased or was not having the same effectiveness as before, it is something that is verifiable on the ground. We know that. And Santa Casa also knows that", he stressed.

At the meeting held today, at the invitation of Carlos Moedas, only the presidents of the Oeiras Chamber, Isaltino Morais (independent), and Cascais, Carlos Carreiras (PSD), appeared, while three other municipalities - Barreiro (PS), Almada (PS) and Seixal (CDU) - were represented by councilors or technicians who follow the problem.

Of the 18 presidents of AML municipalities invited, there were 12 who did not appear, nor were they represented: Amadora, Alcochete, Moita, Odivelas, Montijo, Loures, Palmela, Sintra, Sesimbra, Mafra, Setúbal and Vila Franca de Xira.

At the end of the meeting, Carlos Moedas highlighted the agreement on the need for a joint intermunicipal team, which puts "technicians talking daily", to face the phenomenon.

Carlos Moedas stressed that local reception centers are also needed in other municipalities, but that they work "in conjunction with the municipality of Lisbon, in which everyone wins" with this articulation

To finance this entire plan, the mayor appealed for help from the Government and European funds, because the resources that exist in the municipalities are not enough.

Portugal currently has around 10,000 homeless people, with around half of the total in the AML alone.

Lisbon is the city most affected by the phenomenon and currently has around 3,000 homeless people, with 300 of them effectively on the street, homeless, "a number that has increased since covid-19".

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