1531 homeless persons are registered in Tbilisi

There are 1531 homeless persons registered in Tbilisi,- Gela Chiviashvili, Head of Municipal Department of Healthcare and Social Services, told InterPressNews.

He said 6 467 persons applied for granting the status of homelessness in 2017-2019, but 4 588 beneficiaries were denied the status for various reasons.

Gela Chiviashvili noted that there is one shelter in the capital, with 240 places and it currently hosts 110 beneficiaries, and 3 social houses, which house more than 1000 homeless persons.

He said that homeless people, who live on the streets, refuse to live in shelters themselves.

“We can’t force anyone. There is enough resource in the shelter. Currently, it hosts 110 people, while it has the capacity for 240 beneficiaries. There are some people, who live on the streets, but refuse to live in shelters,” Gela Chiviashvili said.

According to him, at this stage there is no need to build another shelter in the capital, since the existed one has the enough capacity for housing the beneficiaries,” said the Head of Municipal Department of Healthcare and Social Services.

The person applying to the City Hall for granting the status of homelessness shall be registered in Tbilisi, must not own real estate, shall not have bank turnover greater than required for rent and subsistence, must not cross the state border.