Madrid City Council has opened its 2026-2027 Cold Campaign for homeless people and people in housing exclusion, with 472 stable places a day coordinated by SAMUR Social. The campaign runs for 165 nights, from 2 November to 15 April, so it starts earlier and ends later than in recent years.
What changes this year
In recent years the campaign ran from 23 November to 31 March. This year a new management contract was approved with a budget of 3 million euros per year, which sets the 2026-2027 season from 2 November to 15 April. In recent weeks SAMUR Social held coordination meetings with other services and social organisations so they could tell potential users about the earlier start.
Where the places are
| Location | Places |
|---|---|
| Pinar de San José emergency shelter | 150 |
| Vallecas emergency shelter | 142 |
| Municipal Social Emergency Centre | 30 |
| Guesthouses | 150 |
| Total | 472 |
Up to 24 additional places a day can be added on days of severe weather, such as cold waves, on 90 days. Pinar de San José will also have 50 day-centre places for people with medical conditions, mobility problems or dependency, who receive daytime social support as well as a bed at night.
Who it serves and what it offers
Priority for access and longer stays goes to young people under 30, people over 65, people with serious physical or mental illnesses, people with low autonomy, and women, who face the added risk of gender-based violence on the street. Users receive overnight accommodation, meals, basic healthcare, social and psychological care, and access to toilets, laundry, clothing and left-luggage services. Each person gets an individual social intervention aimed at improving their quality of life and autonomy. For the second consecutive year, psychologists who joined SAMUR Social in 2025 will provide psychological care, and social support is also offered during the day through morning appointments.
Staff, transport and partners
The scheme has 58 professionals. A new access coordination team of seven social workers is based at SAMUR Social headquarters. EMT Madrid provides free transport to the centres: buses to Pinar de San José leave at 19:00 and 20:00 from vía Lusitana (plaza Elíptica interchange), buses to Vallecas leave at 19:30 and 20:30 from Atocha, and return trips run at 9:00 and 10:00. Municipal Police, SAMUR-PC, Madrid Salud, the street teams and Voluntarios por Madrid also take part.