The Urban Development Commission of the Chamber of Deputies carried out this Friday (5) an inspection of public facilities in the City of São Paulo aimed at the homeless population. The inspection was carried out by the vice-president of the collegiate, deputy Guilherme Boulos (PSOL-SP), federal deputies elected by São Paulo, such as Erika Hilton (PSOL), Juliana Cardoso (PT), Orlando Silva (PCdoB) and Alfredinho (PT) , and city councilors from São Paulo. The intention of the deputies and councilors was to investigate the situation of the reception centers in the capital of São Paulo, mainly after articles published by the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, which has denounced the terrible conditions of hygiene and infrastructure in some equipment of the city hall, with lack of toilets and showers, bed bug infested mattresses and clogged toilets. The inspection also takes place after the city hall of São Paulo has intensified actions to collect tents for homeless people, even though it is aware that there are not enough places in public shelters to serve this entire population, estimated at 52,000 people. In an interview with Agência Brasil after checking the situation in two spaces in the center of the capital and having participated in a conversation with Father Julio Lancellotti, who has an outstanding role in supporting this population, Boulos said he had received several complaints from homeless people living in São Paulo. “We initially went to the House of Prayer, which is a welcome center organized by Father Julio Lancellotti, where we had a conversation with homeless people. We heard several complaints about human rights violations, unhealthy conditions in reception centers, problems with food, bedbugs, hygiene. Then we went to a warehouse in the sub-prefecture of Sé where homeless people’s tents are being seized and their belongings are being taken there. We were even surprised by the information that less than 15% of all the material that is collected is returned even by the bureaucracy that has for homeless people to take back their equipment later. And we also came to the reception center for women and children [na Rua Brigadeiro Luiz Antônio]”, said the deputy. In the reception center for women, according to Boulos, electrical structures were found that put the lives of the people who live there at risk. “The most serious thing is that there is a lack of space for children to stay so that women can go to work. Some mothers even told us that they lost their jobs because they had no one to leave their children with”. This problem was even reported to Agência Brasil by one of the residents of the shelter. According to her, the center even offers good conditions for her, who is single. But for women with children, the situation is a little more complicated because there is a lack of structure to care for children. Another resident of the space, who has been there for about two months, told the report that the situation in the place has already “been better”. “I think the structure of the property and the food could improve a lot for the people who live there. I work and I need extra comfort and I don’t have it,” said the resident, who lives in the women’s shelter with a small child, sharing a room with other mothers. “Some days we don’t even eat meat. Nobody is here because they want to be. I work, study, have my son, ”she said, adding that she lives there because she cannot pay rent. According to Deputy Erika Hilton, vice-president of the Commission for Human Rights, Minorities and Racial Equality of the Chamber of Deputies, these inspections in shelters were already being carried out by the Chamber of Councilors of São Paulo and the city hall has already been previously reported about these problems. “In fact, some changes have already been observed, such as bedbugs and lice, which we did not find here. [no centro de acolhida para mulheres]. The mattresses were even in better condition,” she said. The deputy told the report by Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC) that, after these inspections, a report will be prepared by the Urban Development Commission. “What we hope is that the city hall, in fact, can have a plan to serve this population. People have been denouncing the amount of resources that the mayor [Ricardo Nunes] has saved. There are R$ 35 billion kept in the cashier. What we expect is to put pressure on the secretariats and the city hall so that this resource can be invested in improving services and addressing the problems that have already been presented. We will also present a report of our visits so that the city hall can be aware of what has been happening and we will monitor the numerous processes that are in progress”, he said. For the two deputies, what is currently under way in the city of São Paulo is a hygienist policy, of segregation of the most vulnerable population. “It is a hygienist policy, which does not look at the homeless population with dignity, humanity or respect. It’s a policy at the municipal level, but also at the state level, and that’s what we’re trying to fight. We are trying to make management see this population as people worthy of their rights and who deserve to be respected and assisted. When they leave the streets, they deserve to have quality shelters that receive them with bed, food and bath”, said Erika Hilton. “The city hall has adopted a hygienist, prejudiced and stigmatizing stance against this population and then we see the increase in violence and the seriousness with which these people are treated in consultations and on the streets”, she added. Sought by Agência Brasil, the São Paulo City Hall has yet to comment on the inspections carried out by the deputies.
Agência Brasil
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