An 87-year-old whose eviction sparked protests in Spain is returning home : NPR

Key Points:

• María del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman at the center of a high-profile eviction case in Madrid, will return to her apartment under a deal limiting her rent to 30% of her income, approximately 500 euros per month.
• The Spanish government, responding to widespread protests, announced new housing measures including eviction protections until 2030, regulation of room rentals, a tax on seasonal rentals, and a ban on speculative real estate purchases by investment funds until 2028.
• Additional government initiatives include tax breaks for landlords renting to low-income tenants, interest-free loans for first-time homebuyers, and increased support for public housing construction.
• Activists remain cautious, emphasizing the need to review the decree's details and continue protests, viewing the current moment as a historic opportunity to address housing commodification in Spain.
• The eviction case has spotlighted Spain’s broader housing crisis, with rising costs and shortages pushing many out of the market, and has drawn attention from figures including Pope Leo XIV, who called for systemic solutions.