87-Year-Old Woman Set to Return Home After Eviction Sparks Spain Housing Protests

Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old mobility-impaired resident of Madrid, Spain, will return to her home of 70 years following a rental agreement negotiated by her legal representation after an eviction on September 23, that drew national outrage and galvanized protests across the country.

Abascal’s attorney, Beatriz Duro, announced during a press conference that her client will return to the apartment once she receives discharge from the hospital, where medical staff treated her for exhaustion following the eviction. Duro stated that the resolution involved “good will by both parties,” enabling Abascal to sign a new contract under terms similar to her previous rent. According to reporting from El Espectador, the renewed tenancy agreement will require a monthly payment not exceeding 30 percent of Abascal’s net income.

The property owner, the investment firm Urbagestión, had previously faced widespread public criticism for refusing negotiations after purchasing the building in 2018. The company initially raised Abascal’s rent from approximately US$572 to US$3,020 monthly—or up to 2,650 euros according to the Sindicato de Inquilinas e Inquilinos de Madrid—before offering a reduction to US$1,700. Because Abascal subsists on a monthly pension of roughly US$1,400, courts had previously blocked three prior attempts by the firm to execute the eviction.

National Protests and Housing Policy Pressures

The eviction on September 23 transformed Abascal into a prominent symbol of Spain’s broader housing crisis, triggering demonstrations in Madrid where tens of thousands of protesters marched through the capital and established a campsite at the Puerta del Sol. Attorney Beatriz Duro credited the settlement directly to this intense social mobilization.

The widespread public reaction exerted immediate pressure on Spain’s central government. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged to introduce housing relief measures during a cabinet meeting, while the Partido Socialista seeks to advance legislation addressing widespread social discontent over housing costs and tenant protections. Bank of Spain estimates indicate that the country faces a deficit of 700,000 housing units when comparing existing demand against current construction rates.