Barcelona’s housing row returned to the Eixample on Wednesday, when Olalla and her three children were evicted from their home at Calle Buenos Aires 60 after a court order. The building is owned by New Amsterdam Developers (NAD), an investment fund that plans to convert it into a coliving property.
About fifty people gathered outside the building early in the morning in an attempt to stop the eviction, but Catalan police carried it out. The Socialist Housing Union of Catalonia (SHSC) said activists were unable to prevent it this time, after the family’s expulsion had been postponed a week earlier.
Andrea Ribas, a spokesperson for the SHSC, criticised the operation and said the family had been removed because of an investment fund and the police sent by the Illa and Collboni governments. Carme Arcarazo, a spokesperson for the Tenants' Union, also criticised the authorities, saying the government should fine the Dutch company instead of sending the Catalan police to evict families.
NAD says it wants to reform the flats for coliving, a model that rents rooms to higher-income tenants. Housing groups say Catalan law already sets rent caps for the total rent of rooms within a single flat, to stop landlords from getting around tenancy rules by charging inflated room-by-room prices.
The fund also owns other Barcelona properties, including Bloc Papallona and Bloc Sant Agustí. The Barcelona Ombudsman's Office has previously acted as mediator in eviction attempts at both buildings, and President Salvador Illa has warned the company of a possible multi-million euro fine. Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni also agreed with Ombudsman David Bondia to mediate in the two blocks.
The case has become another flashpoint in Barcelona’s housing crisis, with the SHSC, the Tenants' Union and the Catalan Housing Ombudsman Confederation (COSHAC) continuing to mobilise against coliving conversions they say push out long-term residents. For more local coverage, see our Community and Sport pages.
Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.
