Tampere shelters face overcrowding crisis, redirecting 154 clients this year

Tampere’s shelters are facing significant overcrowding, with 154 clients needing to be redirected to other facilities this year due to full capacity. “Unfortunately, we currently have no available spaces, and people cannot access the shelter,” stated Milka Suuniittu-Sakari, head of shelter services at Tampereen ensi- ja turvakoti ry. So far this year, the two shelters in Tampere have served 500 clients, exceeding the total for all of last year.

Last Friday, the organization brought a large bouquet of 152 flowers to the site of a tragic incident on Hämeenkatu, symbolizing the clients who have not been able to find shelter this year. Following that event, two additional clients were redirected elsewhere.

In Finland, there are 29 shelters that function as a network, ensuring that if there is no space in Tampere, assistance is still available elsewhere. “We strive to ensure that individuals can access some form of shelter,” Suuniittu-Sakari affirmed, noting collaboration with social and crisis services to support clients’ needs adequately.

Currently, both Jyväskylä and Turku each only have one shelter, indicating a shortage of spaces relative to the population’s needs. Long shelter stays have created congestion, with the average duration in Pirkanmaa being longer than in other parts of Finland. This delay is attributed to a lack of affordable housing and follow-up services.

Both Suuniittu-Sakari and development manager Suvi Nipuli of the National Institute for Health and Welfare underscore the importance of increasing not only shelter spaces but also resources to prevent domestic violence, which remains a public health issue in Finland.