Tulum Residents Identify Five Sites Where Homeless People Gather

Tulum, Quintana Roo — The recurring presence of homeless people in public spaces across Tulum has prompted residents to demand a coordinated response that brings together social services, health care and case-by-case assessments.

María Cristina Aguirre, a local resident, named five locations where she has seen the situation: the area around the cemetery, CROC park, Sendero Verde, the Chivero cenote and Dos Aguas park.

Aguirre said the involvement of DIF Tulum, the municipal health department and the Public Security Department is essential, noting that some people remain in public spaces for several days at a time.

Gonzalo Pot, who regularly visits the town center, said it is not enough for authorities to simply move people from one place to another, because some return to the same spot afterward.

According to those interviewed, municipal health officials have explained that they face limits on intervening when an adult does not request assistance or when no relatives are available to arrange help. Residents said officials need to define a mechanism for cases in which no family network exists.

Aguirre and Pot called for assessment, care and referral brigades involving DIF, the municipal health and public security departments, and the State Health Services.

DIF Tulum lists among its objectives providing social assistance to vulnerable populations and coordinating social welfare efforts with other agencies and institutions.

The concern is not new. In early September, business owners in the town center also reported a growing number of people living on the streets and asked for a comprehensive response, though they acknowledged they had no official information about where those individuals came from.