Due to the frost, the demand for shelters has increased — there are still enough places

On the night of January 14, nearly 600 people were in Riga's shelters, and when the temperature drops to -10 degrees, the shelters switch to round-the-clock operation. In other regions of Latvia, the demand for overnight stays also increases during cold weather; however, overall, in recent years, shelters have noted a decrease in the number of homeless individuals, reports Latvian Radio.

A representative of the Welfare Department of the Riga City Council, Aldis Strapcans, confirmed that demand traditionally increases in January and February, and this year is no exception. Currently, nearly 600 people are staying in Riga's shelters, and there are still available spots — especially in the shelters located further from the center, on Mazjumpravas and Latgales streets.

According to Strapcans, about 80% of the shelter clients are men, predominantly of pre-retirement age. Many of them have health issues, including addictions, which complicates their search for work and permanent housing.

"Last night, a total of 598 people stayed in the shelters. Thus, in Riga, we have two municipal shelters, and we are also purchasing services at four locations from organizations with which we have contracts. Currently, the total number of places is 655. We monitor the situation and occupancy level daily, and if necessary, we can increase the number of places to 700," Strapcans said.

He noted that compared to last year, there is no increase in demand so far; however, looking at the last three years, there is a general trend of decreasing numbers of clients: there were previously periods when up to 700 people stayed in the shelters.

In cold weather, people more often seek out shelters themselves, but it is also common for the homeless to be brought there by the police or mobile teams. Residents of Riga are also urged to report if they notice people sleeping on the streets in the frost.

The head of the Red Cross night shelter, Katrīna Anna Kruklīte, confirmed that with the onset of frost on January 14, the number of people at the shelter on Gaiziņa Street 7 has increased. On average, about 90 homeless people stay there — this is more than usual, but the situation is not critical: the shelter can accommodate up to 100 people if necessary and does not refuse anyone a place to sleep.

Meanwhile, the head of the Ventspils branch of the Latvian Samaritan Association, Andis Sukurs, reported that the number of people in the Ventspils shelter has also increased slightly during the frost: out of 30 places, about half are currently occupied. According to him, in recent years, the number of homeless people has not been increasing overall; however, this winter there is a more frequent trend of homeless individuals finding abandoned houses themselves, which poses a danger.

"There is one unpleasant aspect: many people do not use the services of shelters but find abandoned summer houses or cottages. This is quite dangerous — they are not intended for winter, they are heated improperly, leading to fires and other risks. In my opinion, there are more such cases this year than before," Sukurs noted.

He also urged residents to be vigilant and report to the municipal police if they notice homeless individuals living in unsuitable conditions: "Because the problems are much greater later than if they are brought to us in a timely manner."

Shelter representatives added that during this time, there is a particular demand for donated warm clothing and footwear, especially for men. These can be delivered to shelters in the regions, and in Riga — to the day center at Katolu Street 57.

Meanwhile, in the night shelter of the Samaritan Association in Valmiera, there are only 12 places, and currently, 7 people are regularly using the services. For comparison — at the same time last year, only 2 people were regularly staying there.