Córdoba's Secretary of Social Policies, Raúl La Cava, criticized President Javier Milei's Decree 373/2025. This decree amends Law 27,654, delegating the care of homeless people to provinces and municipalities. La Cava stated that the national government is shirking its responsibility regarding this issue.
According to the official, the Municipality hasn't received national resources to address the growing crisis of homelessness. He asserted that the decree formalizes a situation of abandonment by the national government. He also questioned the reduction of the federal government's role to that of a mere coordinator without direct intervention.
La Cava indicated that this measure contradicts the State's obligation to guarantee essential rights, such as access to adequate housing. He criticized the "false federalism" that, according to him, distributes obligations without adequate resources. He also highlighted the increase in homelessness and the lack of effective policies to reverse this trend.
Personas en situación de calle en la ciudad de Córdoba
A municipal megastructure that consumes key resources
While the lack of national support is being denounced, Daniel Passerini's administration keeps an unnecessarily oversized municipal structure. Córdoba's Municipality has 400 political positions, including 10 secretariats and 43 subsecretariats. This bureaucratic expansion entails a multimillion-dollar expenditure on salaries and offices.
In this regard, it should be recalled that Councilwoman Elisa Caffaratti questioned the need for so many officials, confirming the existence of overlapping and practically useless positions. Among the newly created departments are directorates and subsecretariats with redundant and useless functions. This inflated scheme contrasts with the lack of resources allocated to effective social policies.
The expenditure on this inefficient megastructure could be redirected, for example, to programs that comprehensively address homelessness. However, the priority seems to be maintaining an oversized political staff that, evidently, doesn't deliver concrete positive results. This choice of priorities raises questions about the real commitment to the most vulnerable sectors.
Persona durmiendo en la calle, Córdoba Capital
Córdoba, a city with the capacity to act
Decree 373/2025 establishes that the national government may assist local governments lacking the means to care for homeless people. However, Córdoba is the country's second-richest province and one of the main contributors to the national GDP. This demonstrates that the capital city, inevitably, has the necessary resources to implement effective social policies.
The criticism of the national government by municipal officials loses strength when considering the province's economic capacity. The lack of local action can't be justified solely by the absence of federal funds. It's the responsibility of municipal authorities to use their resources efficiently.
The existence of a costly bureaucratic structure suggests that resources are available but poorly allocated. Prioritizing political spending over social needs reflects a lack of commitment to Córdoba's vulnerable population. If the intention is to effectively address the situation of homeless people, it's imperative to reevaluate the budgetary priorities of Passerini's administration.
