Dramatic eviction of woman aged 87 highlights Spain's housing shortage
An 87-year-old woman in Madrid was evicted from her apartment of 70 years after a corporate owner raised her rent beyond her means. The dramatic eviction sparked widespread protests and drew attention to Spain's worsening housing crisis.
Why it matters
It underscores the severe socio-economic impact of soaring rents, gentrification, and corporate property ownership on elderly tenants in major European cities.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Maricarmen had to leave the flat she had lived in for 70 years on Wednesday
The dramatic eviction of an 87-year-old woman from the home in Madrid where she lived for seven decades has drawn attention to the depth of Spain's housing crisis.
The tenant of the flat in the Retiro area of central Madrid, Maricarmen, was unable to pay the rent set by the investment firm that owns it.
Maricarmen's father first rented the property in 1956 and she continued as the tenant after her parents died, during which time there was a cap on the rent.
However, the company that bought the property in 2018, Urbagestión, cited a legal glitch allowing it to raise her rent from €500 (£428; $572) to €2,650.
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