87-year-old’s eviction in Madrid sparks protests as Spain's housing crisis deepens

For 87-year-old Maricarmen, a home she had lived in for 70 years became unaffordable after the real estate firm that owned her apartment raised her monthly rent by 275%.Her eviction from the Madrid property on Wednesday, carried out as she was taken away on a stretcher, has now become a focal point in Spain's long-running housing crisis.The eviction, broadcast live on television, drew protesters who surrounded Maricarmen as police escorted her from the property.According to news agency AFP, Thousands later took to the streets in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities, protesting both her eviction and housing costs that have increasingly put homes beyond the reach of renters and buyers.The episode has also intensified a political dispute over Spain's housing policies ahead of next year's general election.Housing costs rise as affordable supply remains limitedHousing costs have increased sharply across Spain over the past decade.