Evidence shows that supporting people to remain in their homes and avoid eviction is the most effective strategy for ending homelessness. Since 2015, the Intervention and Mediation Service for Situations of Housing Loss and/or Occupation (SIPHO) has been working to prevent evictions of vulnerable people in Barcelona. The service has a team of 43 professionnals fully funded by the municipal government, intervenes in 90% of evictions in the city, acting as a mediator between multiple parties, including the courts, residents, and property owners, and coordinating access to subsidies and referrals to other support services, such as social services.
In 2021, 86% of the cases served by SIPHO involved people living under the poverty line, and 47% involved children. The service has so far supported 31,000 people and successfully prevents nine out of 10 evictions, avoiding trauma for the individuals at risk of losing their home and reducing the economic burden associated with homelessness on the public purse.
SIPHO highlights the proactive role local and regional governments can play in protecting the right to housing through mediation between parties. Instead of confusing bureaucracy, residents turning to SIPHO for help find a user-friendly and personal service with a human-rights-based approach to support them in their time of need.
