Spaniards march 40 cities for a protest growing housing crisis

Barcelona, ​​Spain – The protesters returned to the streets across the Spaniards in Rage due to the high housing costs without relief in sight.

Thousands marched in the capital, Madrid, and over 30 other cities in demonstration organized by residential activists and supported the main unions in Spain.

The The housing crisis struck especially hard in SpainWhere there is a strong tradition of ownership of the house and for rent. They are rented led by increased demand. The purchase of the house became unavailable for many, with market pressures and speculations increasing prices, especially in large cities and coastal areas.

The youth generation says they have to stay with parents or spend great just to share the apartment, with a small chance to save enough for a day to buy home. High housing costs mean even those who have traditionally well paid jobs are struggling to meet the ends.

“I live with four people and I still allocate 30 or 40% of my salary for rent,” said Marie Sánchez, a 26-year-old lawyer in Madrid. “It doesn’t let me save. That doesn’t let me do anything. He doesn’t even let me buy a car. It’s my current situation, and the one who is young.”

The average rent in Spain almost doubled in the last 10 years. The price per square rose from 7.2 euros (7.9) in 2014. on 13 euros last year, it is stated on the Idealist real estate website. The increase is larger in Madrid and Barcelona.

Revenues failed to keep up, especially for younger people in the country with chronically high unemployment.

Spain does not have public housing that other European nations invested in a pillow that struggles on renting from the market who appreciate them.

Spain is close to the lower end of the organization for economic cooperation and development groups with public housing for renting under 2% of all available housing. The average OECD is 7%. In France, it is 14%, Britain 16%, and the Netherlands 34%.

An angry landlord indicate cases of international protection for the purchase of its properties, often with the aim of renting foreign tourists. The question became so politically charged for the City Government to Barcelona to promise last year In order to abolish all of its 10,000 licenses for short-term rentMany of them advertised on platforms like Airbnb, until 2028. years.

Marchs in Madrid sang on Saturday, “Get Airbnb from our settlements” and keep the signs against short-term mercenaries.

The largest central government initiative to combat housing costs mechanism for renting the occuparism, which offered regional authorities, based on the price index established by the Ministry of Housing.

But such measures are not sufficiently proven to stop protests in the past two years. Experts say that the situation is unlikely to improve.

“This is not first, nor will it be the last, (residential protest) given the seriousness of the housing crisis,” said Esade Martí, a professor with the business school and the boss of his dignified residential observatory.

“We saw that with the financial crisis (since 2008-2012) when (the protest movement) lasted until a certain economic recovery and the reduction of social tension”, Marty added.