Anxiety is growing in the Spanish capital: hundreds of families face the threat of eviction every day. For many residents of the neighborhoods of Vallecas, Vicálvaro, Fuencarral, Delicias, and San Bernardo, the fear of losing their home has become part of daily life. At a November city council meeting, these people reminded officials that behind every eviction are not just statistics, but lives, dignity, and rights that require protection. Today in Madrid, the very idea of a decent life is at risk.
Home Sales
Recent real estate transactions have only heightened tensions. The Fusara foundation sold 13 apartment buildings, leaving more than two hundred families in limbo. At the same time, the La Caixa foundation transferred 370 social housing units—built on municipal land—into different hands. These events are not isolated; they reflect a persistent trend: when families are in jeopardy, city officials remain silent, but when investment funds appear on the horizon, decisions are made swiftly.
Nevertheless, the administration of mayor José Luis Almeida continues to tout record numbers of municipal housing. But behind these bold claims lies a harsh reality: there are only 2.7 apartments for every thousand residents. In comparison, Barcelona’s rate is twice as high, Málaga’s is three times greater, and Bilbao’s is fourfold. These figures are seldom mentioned in the mayor’s public addresses.
Housing Shortage
The construction of new public housing in Madrid has nearly come to a standstill. Fewer than two hundred new apartments are built each year, which is negligible for a city of more than 3.5 million people. More than 60,000 families are forced to wait for years for social housing. At this pace, waiting turns into hopelessness.
At the same time, large investment funds have been dictating the rules of the capital’s real estate market for a decade. Now, as giants like Blackstone, Cerberus, Ares, and Azora begin to offload some of their assets, the city has a chance to regain housing stock. But, as before, the city council is not taking the initiative.
Experience from other regions
In other regions of Spain, authorities are taking a different approach. In Barcelona, Mayor Jaume Collboni is implementing a strategy to expand the municipal housing stock: the city buys apartments from large property owners, exercises its right of first refusal, and protects social housing from being resold to speculators. In Catalonia, Minister Salvador Illa announced the purchase of more than a thousand apartments from InmoCaixa to be permanently rented out at affordable prices. This shows that when governments want to protect people, they find solutions.
In Madrid, the regional government led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso has for years failed to use its authority to expand the municipal housing fund or curb speculation. A new housing plan was recently introduced that allows for rezoning of land, but it does not regulate prices or restrict the activities of major market players. The authorities have also ignored the rent control law and the designation of areas with strained housing markets.
Proposals and Inaction
Socialists on the city council have put forward several measures: immediate mediation to prevent evictions, the creation of a protocol to ban unchecked sales of social housing, and use of the right of first refusal to return apartments from investment funds back to the public.
An obvious question arises: why do city authorities fail to act when residents need support? Today, speculators in Madrid feel more secure than ordinary families. This is no accident—it is the result of political decisions.
Loss of Identity
The loss of housing for families is not the only problem. The city is gradually losing its residents and, with them, its identity. These are the people who support local shops, bring life to the streets, and create Madrid’s unique character. If the needs of those who live here are ignored, the capital risks turning into an anonymous place with neither roots nor community.
Paradoxically, the municipality with the greatest capacity to regulate the housing market is the one refusing to use its tools. This is the main failure of the city’s policy. The current administration bears responsibility for it.
