An investment firm evicted an 87
The eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid by an investment firm has sparked national outrage and renewed protests over Spain's housing crisis. The case has become a focal point for activists demanding stronger protections for long-term renters against corporate property acquisitions.
Why it matters
This story illustrates the growing tension between corporate real estate investment and the social right to housing in major European cities.
An investment firm evicted an 87-year-old. Now, Spain is fighting back T By Tessa Flemming
Link copied Share Share article It was an image of an 87-year-old woman on a stretcher, wheeled out by paramedics, that sparked a national movement.
Maricarmen Abascal, who uses a wheelchair, was stretchered out of her Madrid home. ( Getty Images: Luciano Lima )
Maricarmen Abascal had lived in her Madrid apartment for more than 70 years.
She took over the lease her father signed in 1956, and enjoyed capped rent.
Then, in 2018, her apartment was bought by an investment firm.
The monthly rent soon soared from €500 ($811) to €1,650 ($2,678).
And Maricarmen, a pensioner with a disability whose monthly benefits total €1,350 ($2,192), was forced out in a court-ordered eviction.
A sign supporting the pensioner reads: "This system must burn. Maricarmen, you are not alone." ( Reuters: Susana Vera )
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