El Ciudadano
Original article: A la calle en pleno invierno: Inminente desalojo del Albergue 81 Razones de La Pintana
In the coldest months of the year, a bureaucratic threat hangs over 12 homeless individuals who have finally found shelter. The 81 Razones Shelter, a space built on solidarity in the La Pintana area, faces an imminent eviction order that threatens to leave its residents out in the open during the harshest part of winter.
The refuge is the brainchild of community activist César Pizarro, founder of the organization «81 Razones.» The name reflects its origins as a space for memory, struggle, and dignity in honor of the 81 inmates who tragically lost their lives in a fire at the San Miguel Prison in 2010.
What began as a quest for justice has evolved into a social support network that now assists the most vulnerable through self-management and community donations.
Conflict Over the Land
The property currently providing shelter, food, and warmth to these twelve individuals is located on land owned by the Housing and Urban Development Service (Serviu), on Pedro Prado Street, in the Pablo de Rokha neighborhood.
According to land use classifications, the site is designated for «community equipment» construction. However, César Pizarro emphasizes that the urgency of the eviction lacks practical sense.
According to the leader, there is currently no formal project or bidding process underway that justifies the immediate clearing of the land: «They want to kick us out only to leave the land abandoned,» is the central complaint from the shelter.
The paradox is evident to neighbors and volunteers: dismantling a space that actively serves a social role—providing food and warmth to abandoned individuals—only to leave a barren lot awaiting a project that does not yet have a start date.
A Direct Appeal to the Ministry
The risk of 12 individuals returning to sleep on the streets of Santiago, exposed to rain and sub-zero temperatures, has raised alarms within the community. In this urgent context, César Pizarro has chosen to escalate his request directly to governmental authorities.
The shelter’s founder made a public appeal to Housing and Urban Development Minister Iván Poduje, requesting immediate intervention to halt the eviction. The 81 Razones Foundation’s request is clear: establish a dialogue table to seek housing solutions or at the very least, a provisional occupation permit ensuring that these 12 individuals do not have to face the harsh realities of winter outdoors while the State determines the future of the land.
«Getting people off the streets is hard and time-consuming work. The residents at the shelter have overcome addictions and are reintegrating into various jobs. This place has done them good. It pains us to imagine that all this social aid could be lost, and that they must return to sleep in public spaces, especially now with the impending cold temperatures. They are not garbage: they are human beings,» Pizarro remarked.
As bureaucracy moves forward, the 81 Razones Shelter continues to organize communal kitchens and collect warm clothing, hoping that common sense and empathy can prevent an eviction that, they warn, could have fatal consequences.
«People living on the streets die from the cold. That’s the truth,» concluded César Pizarro.
We will continue to provide updates.
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