Spain Bans Evictions Until 2030 as 87-Year-Old Woman's Removal Fuels Protests
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Sep 29
Spain Bans Evictions Until 2030 as 87-Year-Old Woman's Removal Fuels Protests
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Sep 29
Summary
Two emergency housing decrees took effect immediately in Spain, freezing evictions until 2030 after nationwide protests over the forced removal of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her Madrid flat.
The package also extends rental contracts until 2028, tightens rules on short-term and room rentals, and bars investment firms from buying homes as the government targets what it calls speculative housing.
More than 5 million people could get relief, Health Minister Mónica García said, but the measures must still clear Congress within 30 days and Sánchez's minority coalition lacks a parliamentary majority.
Junts and other right-leaning parties have already criticized the decrees for hurting small landlords, raising the risk of another setback after a rental-contract measure was blocked in April.
The clash comes amid a housing shortage of 700,000 homes, annual house-price growth of 12.2%, and rent increases that have spread protests from Madrid to Barcelona, Seville, Malaga and Cadiz.
After Maricarmen Abascal’s eviction sparked national protests, can emergency decrees fix Spain’s housing crisis without a major social-housing building push?
Spain is tightening short-term rentals and investor purchases—but will that lower rents in Madrid and Barcelona, or simply create new market loopholes?