The Social Welfare Act mandates all 79 local authorities to have shelter services in place for those in need.

Heads of shelters in Tartu, Pärnu and Narva, as well as in Tallinn, say there are still spaces available even with the recent cold turn.

In Tartu, the main shelter's 50 places are more than half-occupied. Around 30 spots are taken up. This is not a major surge compared with the situation during milder weather.

"With the arrival of cold weather, we may have one or two additional people. [But] the season has a greater impact. More people start coming to the shelter to seek help with the arrival of autumn, around the end of September or the beginning of October. In summer there are about 20 people in the shelter. This is about ten fewer than in the winter period," said Eva Erickson, head of the Tartu shelter (Tartu Varjupaik).

Some people stay on a transient basis. Others stay more permanently, she added. "Well, people do pass through here. [But] some are also here on a stable basis — perhaps about half of them, maybe 15 out of 30. And out of 20 people perhaps around 10 who stay here permanently."

Meanwhile in Pärnu, the shelter there can accommodate 62 people. It currently has an average of 40 people staying there each night. This is around two-thirds' occupancy. Last winter, however, the shelter was almost completely full. A day center is open for people to keep warm and occupied during the day too.

Annely Palmiste, head of the Pärnu shelter and day center (Pärnu Varjupaik ja Päevakeskus), said the cold weather had brought a few more guests in.

"Whereas people have previously been able to stay somewhere, at some point that option does come to an end. This may happen because they fall out with others, develop health problems, a rental agreement ends, or there are no financial means, for whatever reason. Then the shelter becomes the option," Palmiste said. "The number of people staying at the day center has also risen. Since it is cold outside and they have nowhere else to go, they spend more time sitting in a warm room," she added.

Over in Narva, Tatjana Stolfat, head of the shelter there, stated in a written comment that there has been a fall in the number of people seeking shelter in Narva this year. Whereas three years ago, an average 30 people were using the service per day, rising to 40 per day in colder weather, now the figure is 25, she said. On average two to three more people per day seek help at the shelter during the coldest periods, Stolfat said.

In the capital, temporary shelter is provided via two services. There is a night shelter operating at limited hours. And there is a shelter offering round-the-clock service. From 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., overnight accommodation is available at two addresses, with a total of nearly 80 places. An average of 46 are occupied on a given night, shelter organizers say. The 24-hour shelter has a similar occupancy rate at present. An average of 13 of 20 available places are taken up.

Kille Alterman, head of the Tallinn Social Work Center (Tallinna Sotsiaaltöö Keskus), identified no significant recent rise in the number of service users. But she noted this may change through the course of January.

"Under the Social Welfare Act, every local government has the obligation to establish a shelter service. And we must provide this service to all those people who need overnight accommodation. People can come to the night shelter on their own initiative. And we are required to guarantee them a place," Alterman said.

Guests from many nations have stayed at the shelters

"Aktuaalne kaamera" visited the Suur-Sõjamäe shelter, where both a night shelter and a day center operate under one roof.

"They receive a full set of bedding. A pillow, pillowcase, sheets, a duvet cover, a blanket, a towel, and washing supplies. If necessary, the night shelter also has the option that if someone arrives late, they can get instant soup," social work assistant Raul Kukk said of the night shelter, which opens its doors at 7 p.m.

One guest, Viktor, told "Aktuaalne kaamera" that he stays at the center because he currently has no job and thus no income. "I ended up here because there was no work, I wasn't paid, and I had to come here until the first opportunity to get a job," Viktor said.

On average half-a-dozen women stay at the women-only facilities per night too. Sadly, this is not only due to actual homelessness but also the result of issues at home such as alcohol and potential domestic violence.

The shelter has also hosted citizens of other nations near and far.

"There have also been citizens of Cameroon, Syrians, people from Lebanon. Truly from very different countries. Finns too, of course," Altermann said.

While the shelters aim to house those who are homeless, particularly in winter, around 30 people remain out on the streets, spending the night in stairwells, sheds, and garages.

These people will not be turned away from a shelter, though, Altermann said, particularly in the cold weather.

"We have mattresses available, so if more than 50 people really come in, then we have the capacity to accommodate about 65 people here in the building. For example, by putting mattresses on the floor here in the day center rooms and accommodating people that way," she noted.

Editor's note: This piece was updated to include a report from the Suur-Sõjamäe shelter.

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