Vulnerable Woman Evicted, Forced to Sleep in Car as Spain’s Housing Crisis Deepens
A 65-year-old woman evicted from her home now sleeps in her car, highlighting Spain's worsening housing crisis and rising rents.
POLICY WIRE — Palma de Mallorca, Spain — A 65-year-old woman who had lived in the same apartment for 12 years was forced to sleep in her car after being evicted this summer. Pilar Lopez, who suffers from a chronic condition due to a spinal injury, said she was offered money to leave by an investment fund that bought the property from her landlord.
Lopez refused the offer but could not prevent the eviction. She is now staying in temporary accommodation at a hostal. She described how the building had been renovated and believed it was now used as a vacation rental. The incident has sparked outrage, echoing similar protests following the eviction of an 87-year-old Madrid resident last week.
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The eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, who was removed on a stretcher from her home, led to large demonstrations across Spain, with protesters setting up tents in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged to address the issue after meeting with his cabinet. Spain faces a severe housing shortage, with rent prices rising faster than wages, and a deficit of 750,000 homes expected to grow to over a million by 2028, according to the Bank of Spain.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
