The last eight residents of Athens’ only shelter for homeless drug users moved out this week as the facility shut down, leaving a gap in care for people with serious health issues.
Run by the city since 2020, the shelter had housed 498 drug-dependent people. The city says addiction treatment is outside its authority and blames EOPAE, the health agency, which had pledged a year earlier to take over.
Residents stayed at least six months, avoided drug use on-site, and got housing, food, medical care and psychological support. The WHO had honored it as a best practice. The previous administration accused officials of indifference.
