Spain housing crisis: rising homelessness and eviction protests

Spain is facing a deepening residential and social crisis characterized by rising homelessness and intense social unrest regarding housing rights. Cáritas has reported significant increases in the number of people requiring assistance; in Ponferrada, the Hogar San Genadio served over 2,000 people between January and September, while Cáritas Valencia supported 550 individuals throughout 2025.

Evictions have triggered violent confrontations and organized protests. In Gasteiz, a family with six minors was evicted in the Sansomendi neighborhood, leading to clashes between demonstrators and the Ertzaintza police force that resulted in several injuries and four arrests. Similar tensions are building in Madrid, where local assemblies are organizing for a general strike on November 11 to protest against housing speculation and the lack of dignified living conditions.

Data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) indicates that overcrowding is a growing issue, with 9.5% of Spanish households living in homes with insufficient space, the highest level in 20 years. Activists and social organizations continue to demand institutional responses to combat residential exclusion and ensure the constitutional right to adequate housing.