Story perspectives

Spain to announce new housing measures after Madrid eviction protests

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 11:07 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Protesters Demand Housing

Protesters camped overnight at Madrid’s Puerta del Sol after the eviction of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal.
Tens of thousands marched in Madrid on Sept. 26, 2026 demanding stronger tenant protections and a ban on evictions without alternative housing.
Spain’s socialist-led government is expected to announce new housing measures at its weekly cabinet meeting next Tuesday.

Summary

Urbagestión hikes rent

Urbagestión, the fund that bought Abascal’s unit, raised the tenant’s rent from €500 to €2,650.
The Bank of Spain reported a shortage of about 550,000 homes in 2025, centered on Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.
Public rental housing accounts for less than 2% of Spain’s housing stock, far below the OECD average of 8%.
Analysts say tourism growth and immigration-driven population increases are straining the limited supply and pushing rents up.

History

Historical Context

The 2008 Spanish housing crash, following a 25 % annual rise in mortgage debt that hit €651 billion in 2005, saw construction sales plunge 25.3 % and 28 % of new homes sit vacant by late 2008. Eurostat recorded the sharpest drop in building activity, and the Bank of Spain now confronts a lingering rental shortage.

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Protesters Demand Housing

Protesters camped overnight at Madrid’s Puerta del Sol after the eviction of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal.
Tens of thousands marched in Madrid on Sept. 26, 2026 demanding stronger tenant protections and a ban on evictions without alternative housing.
Spain’s socialist-led government is expected to announce new housing measures at its weekly cabinet meeting next Tuesday.

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