(4 Apr 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Madrid, Spain – 4 April 2025
1. Exterior shot of a residential building
2. Exterior shot of a building
3. For rent sign on a building
4. People walking on the street
5. Various shots of a poster promoting the protest on Saturday, text reading (Spanish) "End the housing business."
6. Exterior of a neighborhood social meeting center.
7. Young people from the Tetuan neighborhood housing union putting up a banner for the upcoming protest, reading (Spanish) "For free, universal, and quality housing."
8. Close-up of the poster
9. Various shots of the Tetuan housing union meeting
10. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carlota (no surname given), spokesperson of the housing union of Tetuan neighborhood:
"And the real problem we have is the rent increases, the evictions that they have told us there are no more evictions, but that’s a lie. And in general, well, they are pushing us out of our neighborhoods because of the housing business, for turning flats into tourist rentals, for the rent increases, for the evictions."
11. Various of the meeting
12. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carlota (no surname given), spokesperson of the housing union of Tetuan neighborhood:
"On Saturday, we are going to take to the streets in more than 40 cities across Spain, many housing unions, to say, well, that’s enough, that we do not trust the solutions that they are trying to give, that the solutions they are providing in the end are just crumbs and misery for us."
13. Various of meeting
14.SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Mari Sánchez, 26, lawyer:
"So, I’m living with four people and still, I allocate 30% or 40% of my salary. That doesn’t allow me to save, that doesn’t allow me to do anything. It doesn’t even allow me to buy a car. And well, that’s kind of my current situation, and the one many young people are living."
15. Wide meeting
16. People on the street
17. Graffiti on a wall, reading (Spanish) "Let’s go on the offensive against capitalist speculation."
18. Close-up of text of graffiti, reading (Spanish) "5th of April, 12.00 at Atocha."
STORYLINE:
Like most rich countries, Spain is in the throes of a growing housing affordability problem.
Skyrocketing rents are particularly acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid, where incomes have failed to keep up, especially for young people.
Housing prices are also steadily rising, especially in cities and coastal areas.
A small group of housing activists gathered Thursday night in a leaky basement, collectively run neighborhood association building.
They are part of the housing union movement behind a major demonstration in Madrid on Saturday.
The group reaches out to local residents in the Tetuan district of north Madrid.
After two decades of immigration from Latin-America this area is now on the radar of property developers looking to purchase run-down buildings.
Three local residents facing a hike in their rents have approached the group for help – they asked not to be filmed or interviewed.
One of the group’s spokespersons who gave her first name only, Carlota, explained what is planned.
"On Saturday we are going to take to the streets in more than 40 cities across Spain, many housing unions, to say, well, that’s enough, that we do not trust the solutions that they are trying to give, that the solutions they are providing in the end are just crumbs and misery for us," she said.
Rental prices have been driven up by short-term contracts mainly offered for tourists.
Tourism is one of the country’s key economic drivers.
Production: Alcia Leon
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