A heated battle for the right to housing broke out yesterday in Madrid’s Retiro district. Maricarmen, 87, who has lived in her apartment for most of her life, now faces eviction. The courts have decided to temporarily halt the process because city authorities failed to offer her alternative accommodation.
The situation sparked a wave of support among locals. Neighbors and activists have come together to prevent the elderly woman from being evicted. They believe cases like this are becoming increasingly common as rents rise and large property owners ramp up the pressure.
Tenant rights organizations insist on urgent reforms. In their view, only long-term contracts and limits on the power of investment funds can reduce insecurity among renters. In Maricarmen’s case, they are demanding that she be allowed to remain in the home where she has lived for decades.
Madrid mayor Jose Luis Martínez Almeida said he does not know whether the woman sought help from social services. However, it is known that Maricarmen did try to get support, but heard nothing back before receiving the eviction notice from her current landlord — Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión SL.
For now, the eviction has been postponed, but the future of Maricarmen remains uncertain. The situation once again highlights the issue of social protection for elderly tenants and the urgent need to find systemic solutions to prevent such tragedies in the future.
This article is being updated
