Lack of emergency accommodation places: Paris 115 faces an “unprecedented” situation

Despite the decline in the government on the abolition of 14,000 accommodation places and the trigger for the cold cold plan, the 115 listeners are overwhelmed by calls. Out of 1,000 people who manage to reach the service daily, only a hundred can be accommodated each evening, most often for a single night.

by Claire Ané

“115 from Paris, hello”, launches Louise (the first name has been changed), 32 years old, brown curls, thin glasses and piercings. At the other end of the line, A. is ahead of his request to decline name, first name and date of birth. She is used to. Almost every day, for three months, she has requested a roof for her, her husband and their three children with the social emergency number. Without ever getting it.

“You have already called today, your request has been recorded,” said Louise gently, once A. found on her computer. “It’s cold. There are children. Please!” Be begs. “It is not me who decides. You can receive an SMS with the address of a hotel until 8 pm 30. I wish you good luck. “The listeners of the 115, which are part of the Samusocial de Paris, can only directly allocate places alone. For couples and families, they determine the degree of priority on a platform common to all of Ile-de-France.

Given the age of the children – the youngest is 8 years old – and the state of health of each, the family of A. is not considered a priority. Another factor: “There are very few five -person rooms for short -term accommodation,” explains Louise. The solution would be to obtain long -term accommodation. By rereading A.’s file, Louise sees that she has made the request to a social worker, but for two people and not five. She leaves a note to clarify this point during the next family call. 2> 13,500 calls per day

It is 5 p.m., the phone flashes without respite. To a single woman who speaks Russian, Louise advises, with the help of a specially attached translator, to call in 7 am if she wants to have a chance to sleep warm. To a couple waiting for a baby, she offers to retry this evening, when some new places can be allocated.

A man calls for the first time. Divorced, in his fifties, this former security agent in Forbach (Moselle), that an accident has prevented work, wandered for two days in the capital. Her sister, who offered her to live with her and her daughter in her studio, put her on the door after an argument. He takes 25 drugs daily and must be dialysis three times a week. “I am tired, Mademoiselle,” he said in a breath. After agreement of its coordinator, Louise has in store for him. She tells him that it is a collective accommodation, sends him by SMS the address of a day reception center where to go the next day. And warns: “You know, it’s very tense at the moment. Even if you are one of the priority, we will not be able to help you every night.”

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/Media reports cited above.