The Manresa eviction suspended decision brings significant relief to families in ‘Block 8’. This follows a tense standoff involving a heavy police presence and hundreds of protesters. Consequently, the scheduled eviction of a vulnerable household was halted indefinitely on Monday morning.
Shouts of euphoria and applause erupted from more than 300 people gathered both inside and outside the building as the judicial delegation withdrew shortly after 09:00. Therefore, the suspension marks the end of a third eviction attempt, with no new date set for the procedure.
Your browser does not support the video tag.Home » Manresa Eviction Suspended: Block 8 Relief After Mass Protests
Manresa Eviction Suspended After Tense Morning
The operation began early, with the Mossos d’Esquadra deploying approximately twenty vehicles from the ARRO public order unit around 06:15. However, housing activists were already prepared. Following a call to action by the Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAHC Bages), a hundred individuals had spent the night inside the block. Meanwhile, another 200 gathered at the entrance chanting slogans of resistance.
At the centre of the dispute was Yuli, a resident living in the apartment with her partner and a minor child. Visibly emotional after the suspension was announced, she expressed deep gratitude to the community.
“I am very grateful because I have a family that supports me. We are very much a fighting family; we need social rent because today this block belongs to us.”Yuli, Block 8 resident
The building itself has a complex history. Residents recall that developers left it abandoned and unfinished. Subsequently, the neighbours themselves completed the construction work to make the units habitable. Currently, eight families with eight minors reside in the block.
Political and Legal Deadlock Over Manresa Eviction
An investment fund owns the property and had initiated the eviction process. According to the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC), the tenant’s initial request to suspend the eviction based on vulnerability was dismissed. The judge cited a social services report stating the defendant was of working age with a monthly income of approximately €1,000.
However, local authorities strongly opposed the move. Manresa’s Mayor, Marc Aloy, described the situation as “Kafkaesque”. He criticised the attempt to evict residents while public institutions were actively trying to purchase the building.
The City Council has announced its intention to exercise the right of first refusal to acquire the property. Mayor Aloy accused the investment fund of speculation. He noted that the owners had initially committed to selling the building for €450,000, only to later increase the asking price by €200,000.
Negotiations to Follow Manresa Eviction Suspension
PAHC Bages spokesman Joan Garcia celebrated the outcome as a victory for “popular pressure”. He noted that the judicial team had arrived with strict orders to execute the eviction. “It shouldn’t have come to this,” Garcia stated. He argued that the eviction should have been cancelled the previous week given the ongoing purchase interest from both the City Council and the Housing Agency of the Generalitat.
With the eviction halted indefinitely, the focus now shifts to negotiation. The City Council aims to regularise the situation of the residents through social rent schemes. This ensures the building remains a community asset rather than falling back into the hands of speculative investors. In addition, Catalonia has started to issue the first sanctions under Catalonia’s new housing law, which aims to protect vulnerable residents.
Apply to join our community of Entrepreneurs, Senior Executives and Founders at Bizcelona .
