According to Vanda Balaia, in 2020 104 social processes were registered in that nucleus' database - 74 of which were received between January and April and 30 between May and September - and 62 cases are currently being followed up in the municipality.

In statements to Lusa, she explained that even though 104 cases were opened, this "does not mean that these people are all still in the municipality," since they are a population that "travels a lot between counties.”

The increase in foreign homelessness in Faro is a relatively recent phenomenon - since, until now, most of this population in the municipality was of Portuguese nationality – and usually affects people who have mental disorders or a history of consumption, she added.

However, one of the biggest constraints, not only in the municipality, but also in the district of Faro, is the "lack of response in terms of housing" and the fact that the rental market is "inflated", which makes it difficult to respond socially to this population.

Most of them spend the night in abandoned houses and present alcoholism, drug addiction, unemployment or financial and family problems as reasons for homelessness.

The nucleus, created in 2010 and coordinated by the municipality, aims to promote the conditions of autonomy and the full exercise of citizenship of the homeless population.

Last June it was announced that Faro would have an emergency accommodation centre with capacity to accommodate up to 49 people in precarious situations, in what will be the first facility of its kind in the Algarve.

The centre, which will be in a building ceded by the Ministry of Agriculture, in Braciais, on the outskirts of Faro, will have 30 places for emergency accommodation, 20 of which will be for temporary accommodation, for a period of three months, and a maximum total capacity of 49 people.

The Movimento de Apoio à Problemática da Sida (MAPS) is the body responsible for the structure's project, which aims to receive people and families in precarious situations, namely homeless, unemployed, targets of evictions or with loss of income.