"Where do I live even if it is canceled ..." 90% of accommodations cannot accept 23:02 on May 13th

"Free low-priced accommodation" introduced by the local government as a place to stay for those who have lost their lives due to poor life. According to an interview conducted by NHK, it was found that nearly 90% of the accommodations in Tokyo are in a state where they cannot accept residents because of full occupancy and prevention of infection.

"Free low-priced lodging" is a private facility where welfare recipients can stay for free or at low rates. Tokyo has the highest number of 150 lodging accommodations in Japan, a total of 150.

While the number of people who lose their homes or whereabouts is rapidly increasing due to the new coronavirus, the city is making efforts to have them temporarily stay at a business hotel, but for those who applied for welfare, the welfare office of the local government In some cases, will introduce "free low-priced accommodation".

However, when NHK interviewed a corporation that operates lodgings, at least 131% of the lodgings, which account for nearly 90% of the total, were unoccupied by the 13th and could not accept residents due to infection prevention. I understand.

As a result, after the declaration of emergency in the last month, there were a number of cases in which the lodging facility refused to move in and there were at least 140 cases.

In the background, the number of residents is limited in order to prevent "3 crowd" at the accommodation, and due to the spread of infection, the residents cannot find a new job or apartment and become independent, It means that the replacement may not proceed.

A man who applied for welfare “I am worried about my home after the declaration is released”

Some people have decided to apply for welfare after a long period of declaration of an emergency situation.

A 33-year-old man working at a restaurant in Tokyo.

Previously, I earned about 180,000 yen a month, but at the beginning of last month, the owner of the restaurant told me that I should not go to work for a while and said that I had no income.

Men used to live in dormitories for shop assistants, but it has become difficult to enter the dormitory about three years ago, and they have continued to sleep in internet cafes. However, due to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's request for suspension of operations after receiving an emergency declaration, the Internet cafe was no longer available from the 12th of last month, and the income and whereabouts were lost all at once.

Then, the man was forced to live on the street for the first time for about three weeks, so when he interviewed on the 1st of this month, he had no money of 1 yen and said, "I have not eaten anything for 3 days." ..

In the middle of last month, a man was recommended by an NPO staff member who assists the poor to apply for welfare, but if he applied, he was reluctant to contact a family member whose relationship had deteriorated. Hesitated to apply.

However, amid the extension of the emergency declaration, we applied for welfare at the window of the ward on the 8th of this month, saying that the prospect of future income is not clear.

The man will be paid the living expenses for the time being and can stay in the business hotel by the support measures of the city while the emergency is declared, but he is worried whether he will be able to find a house after the cancellation.

`` I don't know if I can find a job soon after the declaration of emergency is lifted, and I still don't know where to live after leaving the hotel. There are lots of anxiety about applying for welfare. I was talking. "

How to secure housing for the poor

How can we secure housing for those who have lost their lives and are in need of living?

Tokyo provides free business hotel rooms as temporary accommodations for people who lost their place of residence or lost their homes due to loss of income due to a request for closure to an internet cafe due to an emergency declaration. As of the 12th, a total of 914 people are using it.

However, the person who applied for welfare can stay at the hotel until the declaration of emergency is lifted. Until now, it is until the 31st of this month.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will continue to secure new apartments for 400 households, but the target is those who aim for independent living without receiving welfare, and recipients of welfare seek their own home. is needed.

On the other hand, the welfare offices of the wards and cities are introducing not only business hotels but also "free low-priced accommodations" for people who are in need of living, but many of the accommodations are already full, The issue is how to secure a home.

Takehito Kataoka, director of the Life and Welfare Division, Shinjuku Ward, said, “There are also cases where the facilities side refuses to move in because the rooms for free low-priced accommodation are filling up. In the future, more people will lose their homes. There is also a possibility that the issue will be addressed after the emergency declaration is lifted. ”

Expert "Need a system to secure living environment for the poor"

Associate professor Soshiro Yamada of Japan Welfare University, who is familiar with the problems of poverty and livelihood protection, said, "Free low-priced accommodations often make people live in small rooms, and the living environment is not necessarily good. However, the government has relied on lodgings, especially in areas where rents are high, such as Tokyo, because there are not many apartments that can be used for welfare. It is necessary for the administrative side to create a mechanism that allows those who have done so to properly secure a living environment such as an apartment. "

In addition, "The problem of housing support that has left people who have no living and have to stay overnight at an internet cafe has come to the fore with this declaration of emergency. We may need to consider continuing to provide support or raising the standard amount of public assistance so that we can move into the apartment. "

Free flat rate accommodation “already full”

The NPO "Independence Support Center Furusato no Kai" in Taito-ku, Tokyo, which operates free and low-priced accommodations in five wards of Tokyo, accepts people who are in need of living and have nowhere to live.

For residents who can expect independence, we provide support for moving to an apartment through employment support and rent debt guarantee, and so far, more than 500 people have left the facility and lived in an apartment.

After the declaration of the emergency situation last month, this NPO received a request for acceptance of about 20 people from the welfare office of the local government.

Some people who want to move in say, “I couldn't find a job due to the new coronavirus, and I lost my home,” or “I'm staying at a business hotel provided by the capital, but I am moving in because there is a deadline. It means that there are a lot of consultations such as "I want you to do it."

The NPO accepted 9 of them, but soon became full, and now 4 people are waiting for a room to become available.

NPO corporation executive director Ken Takiwaki said, "Free low-priced lodgings have a major role in accepting people who are in need right away, but I have no choice but to refuse because they are already full. In the future, more people will have trouble living. I'm afraid it might be. "

Another accommodation “Difficult to accept due to infection prevention”

Some "free low-cost lodgings" consider that it is difficult to accept more tenants to prevent infection even if there are vacant rooms.

"Independence support home Wakaba-so" in Nakano-ku, Tokyo, accepts requests from the welfare offices of local governments, etc., and mainly accepts welfare recipients. There was a request.

There are 15 private rooms in the facility, but only one room was available, so two people had to decline.

One room has been vacated this month, but since there are many elderly residents, it is difficult to accept any more to prevent infection.

This facility encourages residents to wash their hands, disinfect them, and wear masks, as well as thoroughly disinfect handrails and cafeterias, and from last month, prevent them from flying to the dining table where all residents gather during dinner. We have installed a partition board.

Yumiko Toda said, “If an infected person comes out, it will be difficult to manage the facility itself, so it is difficult to accept it. The accommodation is the location of those who have lost relationships with their families or lost their place of residence. I would like to accept it, but in reality it is very disappointing that I am fully protected just by protecting the facility. "

A group that supports moving into an apartment

The Fuchu Emergency Dispatch Village, which helps people in need of living in Fuchu City, Tokyo, is helping people who apply for welfare to live in apartments.

A 30-year-old temporary worker man who visited for consultation in the middle of last month has been living for 5 years at an internet cafe in the Tama area, but he lost his place due to a request for a leave from the city, and the work of the factory to which he was dispatched. It means that it has been reduced to half and there is almost no money in hand.

Even if a person who has lost his / her home wants to move into an apartment when applying for welfare, there are many people who cannot move in because they do not have a resident's card or a guarantor.

For this reason, support groups have accompanied men to assist with welfare applications and have brokered real estate agencies so that they can rent an apartment.

A temporary employee, a man, has been able to move into an apartment from the 1st of this month with the support of a group and said, "I didn't think I could find a new house so quickly. I am really grateful. From here, I can stand on my own. I want to do my best in my work. "

Tetsuji Matsuno, co-representative of “Fuchu Emergency Dispatch Village,” said, “When a person who has lost his home tries to find an apartment immediately when applying for welfare, it is almost impossible for one person to live alone. Governments need to help secure housing. "