Territorial Stigmatization and Homelessness: The Impact of Public Service Placement on Social Marginalization

This thesis analyzes the relationship between the location of assistance centers for homeless people and the processes of marginalization and segregation in urban contexts. A facility, service or care center for people in extreme vulnerability and exclusion -such as homeless people- with an unstrategic location can aggravate the conditions they are intended to mitigate. The location of these centers can reinforce social exclusion, territorial stigmatization and the vulnerability of both the user and the context. With the application of a critical, qualitative and spatial analysis, this research detects how the implementation of these centers with a scarce critical and consequent analysis of the territory, can perpetuate exclusion both at the individual and community level, creating a vicious circle of marginalization. With Madrid as a case study, this thesis analyzes the socioeconomic, territorial and spatial dynamics of the municipality and how the areas with the highest degree of social and territorial vulnerability coincide with those in which the shelters of the Municipal Network of Care for the Homeless of Madrid are located. Through an analysis of current public policies, plans and strategies that address this phenomenon, we reflect on some of the inconsistencies between what is stipulated in these documents and the materialization of their strategies. The thesis also reflects on the effectiveness of current institutional responses, highlighting the dependence on third sector organizations to cover these gaps. Through a detailed analysis of the location of assistance centers, it is argued that this distribution responds, to a large extent, to political and administrative decisions that prioritize principles of security and order in the urban core. These decisions tend to locate the centers in remote or vulnerable areas, which not only hinders access to services for the homeless, but also reinforces dynamics of social and territorial exclusion. Moreover, this approach is complemented the interaction of structural, political and cultural factors that have shaped our cities in ways that perpetuate rejection of those who do not conform to the ideal of citizenship, further deepening inequalities and divisions within the city. The thesis rethinks the structure of the public service network, advocating a decentralized approach that ensures a broader and more diverse coverage of services. This model not only prevents centers from being perceived as single-user services exclusively for homeless people, but also, by diversifying their use according to people's needs, fosters spaces for connection, togetherness and community. This integration not only expands the coverage and accessibility of services, but also, with participatory, transparent and inclusive planning, helps to break down the social stigma associated with these centers.