Eviction of 87-year-old disabled woman sparks nationwide protests

The eviction of a disabled 87-year-old woman has brought Spain’s housing crisis into sharp focus, leading to another occupation of the capital’s Puerta del Sol by protesters.

Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from the rented flat she had lived in for more than 60 years last week, after new owners of the property raised rent from €500 a month to €1,650.  The incident caused demonstrations around Spain, and around 100 tents have been set up in Madrid’s central square, echoing the 11M protests of 2011.

The crisis is particularly acute in the Canaries, where construction of social housing has been virtually non-existent for decades and house prices and rents have soared in recent years. On Lanzarote, house prices have increased by over 100% in the last ten years.    

According to a report in El País, 10.9% of homes on Lanzarote are owned by companies, with the tourist areas being the most affected. In Tías, for example, over 20% of dwellings – around 3,000 in total – are owned by companies who own more than ten properties.

Four years ago, Tías had more empty properties than any other council area in Spain with over 10,000 residents.