Spain proposes ban on evictions as ousted 87-year-old accepts offer to return home

Key Points:

• Spain's coalition government has agreed on proposals to address the housing crisis, including banning evictions until 2030 and extending contract rollovers until 2028, while also targeting speculative "vulture funds" in the housing market.
• The eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal sparked protests in Madrid, with demonstrators demanding legal reforms such as rent freezes and automatic lease renewals without excessive rent hikes.
• The government plans to broaden the definition of vulture funds to include any company buying housing for speculation, citing Urbagestión, the firm that evicted Abascal, as an example.
• The proposed measures will be split into two decrees to be voted on in parliament, facing challenges in securing support from parties like Catalan pro-independence group Junts, which seeks protections for small landlords.
• Urbagestión has offered Abascal a preliminary agreement allowing her to return home by paying 30% of her pension over eight years, roughly €500 monthly, a move her lawyer hopes will highlight the need for broader housing crisis solutions.