Càritas Andorrana Aids 563 People in 2025 Amid Complex Housing Crises

Càritas Andorrana supported 317 families, totaling 563 people, in 2025, maintaining a similar overall volume to the previous year despite a 4% drop in interventions from 1,012 to 970. Director Anna Villas presented the annual report yesterday, noting that while the number of cases held steady, they grew more complex, urgent, and tied to heightened vulnerability.

The organization addressed over 1,000 distinct issues, with 61% of interventions classified as one-off or emergency responses. More than half of those assisted—58%—were first-time cases, signaling an influx of new families arriving in strained circumstances. Villas stressed that stable case numbers do not indicate social progress, as arrivals often reflect deeper fragility. Primary efforts focused on aiding those in precarious or excluded positions, promoting self-sufficiency, and meeting basic needs.

Housing remained a core challenge. Càritas manages 24 social or affordable units from a prior legacy, all fully occupied across two aging buildings requiring ongoing upkeep. The entity allocates donor and inheritance funds to improve habitability, with planned upgrades estimated at 600,000 to 800,000 euros for both structures. Villas cited instances of families approved for government affordable rentals but unable to cover initial payments of 1,500 or 1,800 euros, where Càritas bridged the gap. She emphasized that housing pressures are longstanding, not unique to 2025, and called for government-led analysis incorporating data from Càritas, Social Affairs, and the Red Cross to assess national needs comprehensively.

Those seeking help were predominantly women (63%), with 56% living alone and 26% in single-parent households. One in ten were elderly, and 8% young people. Nationalities included Spanish (34%), South American (32%), Andorran (13%), and Portuguese (10%). Demand concentrated in Encamp (77 families) and Andorra la Vella (76), followed by Escaldes-Engordany (69) and Sant Julià de Lòria (48); Ordino reported just four. Main requests involved economic difficulties (22%), health issues (16%), guidance (15%), and employment problems (12%). Social workers resolved 74% of cases through 746 actions, including information, in-house programs, and health coverage.

Villas, also referred to as Anna Maria Villas, will step down as president by late August or September 1 at the latest after her appointment as secretary general and chancellor of the Urgell diocese, a role she views as incompatible with Càritas duties. She offered her position during Monday's general assembly, prompting parish branches to begin succession planning.