Thousands rally against Spain's housing crisis after 87yo's eviction

Dozens of thousands of individuals marched in Madrid against Spain's housing issues following the eviction of an 87-year-old woman. Protesters demanded safeguards for renters, rules to prevent fraud, and an end to evictions without alternative housing. Some participants set up tents in Madrid's Puerta del Sol square to camp out overnight.

The demonstration occurred in response to the shocking eviction of María del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman who had lived in her Madrid rental for decades. The 87-year-old woman was removed from her home on a stretcher during the eviction. María del Carmen Abascal's father initially rented the property in 1956; she became the tenant after her parents passed away.

Despite having owned the property since 2018, Urbagestión, an investment firm, raised her monthly rent from 500 euros to 2,650 euros, which she could not afford on her pension. Courts had previously prevented three eviction attempts. The eviction of María del Carmen Abascal has become a symbol of Spain's housing crisis. Protester Simón de la Riva, a 43-year-old teacher, emphasized the unacceptable situation where vulture funds buy homes, making it difficult for people to afford to live and entire families are being evicted.

Some protesters chose to remain at the Puerta del Sol square overnight, setting up tents and hoping to stay until police removed them. Spain's housing shortage is exacerbated by rising costs and a lack of affordable housing, despite the country's strong economic growth. The Bank of Spain estimated a shortage of around 550,000 homes in the country, with Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia bearing a significant burden.

Spain ranks low among OECD countries for public rental housing, which makes up less than 2% of its available supply. Spain has previously built homes with public funds that were later sold in private ownership, removing them from the public housing stock. María del Carmen Abascal expressed her determination to fight for others' rights while recovering from the eviction in a hospital.