Bill 363.

Summary.

The bill establishes a framework to protect rights and promote comprehensive care and social reintegration for people experiencing homelessness through sustainable public policies grounded in human rights. It covers people who lack fixed, safe, and adequate housing and live in public spaces, temporary shelters, or places not intended as dwellings. Its guiding principles are human dignity, non-discrimination, equality of rights, social participation, a gender and intersectional approach, and the non-criminalization of poverty.

It creates the National Program for Comprehensive Care of People Experiencing Homelessness, PRONACALLE, under the Ministry of Social Development (Ministerio de Desarrollo Social, MIDES). The program would coordinate action among institutions on health, housing, identity documents, employment, social protection, justice, and security. The bill also provides for a national system of voluntary registration for people experiencing homelessness, with confidentiality and protection of personal data. Registration is proposed as a voluntary means of enrollment within the care framework established by the bill.

The State would guarantee free access to physical and mental health services, food and drinking water, documentation and proof of identity, dignified temporary accommodation, rehabilitation programs for substance use, and education and technical training. The Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning (Ministerio de Vivienda y Ordenamiento Territorial, MIVIOT) would establish a transitional, cooperative and/or subsidized housing program aimed at gradual access to housing. The Ministry of Labor (Ministerio de Trabajo) would develop special programs for training, temporary employment, and entrepreneurship support, as well as agreements with companies for preferential hiring of people experiencing homelessness.

The bill prohibits evictions of people experiencing homelessness unless they are offered a housing alternative or dignified temporary shelter. It provides for the State to promote the participation of people who have experienced homelessness in public policy development, along with support from civil society, churches, and nongovernmental organizations. The Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo) would allocate annual resources to PRONACALLE and implementation of the proposed law, including interinstitutional agreements. It would also issue implementing regulations through MIDES, with the participation of the other competent ministries, within a period not exceeding six (6) months. The proposed law would take effect upon promulgation.

The public entities involved are the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning, the Ministry of Labor, and the Executive Branch. The bill could concern or affect people experiencing homelessness, companies taking part in hiring agreements, civil society organizations, churches, nongovernmental organizations, and sectors connected with health, housing, education, technical training, and employment.