Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman who was evicted from the apartment where she had lived for over seven decades, passed away this Tuesday. The news was released by the Tenants' Union.
In a statement, the Tenants' Union mourned Maricarmen's death, mentioning that she had been evicted from her home on September 23rd and had remained hospitalized since then. The elderly woman had been admitted to the Gregorio Marañón Hospital since the date of the eviction, which took place in the Retiro neighborhood, in the center of the Spanish capital, where she had lived for 70 years.
The union expressed gratitude for the example of struggle and legacy left by Maricarmen, stating that they would fulfill her wish to 'fight, continue to fight for what is yours.' Although it was announced about a week after the eviction that Maricarmen had accepted an agreement with the owning company and would return to her home since 1956, the Tenants' Union emphasized that this resolution came too late, being an 'absolutely avoidable situation after a torturous process.'
Rent increased from 500 to 1,650 euros
The eviction occurred after an investment company acquired the property and raised the rent from 500 to 1,650 euros. Maricarmen's father rented the property in 1956, and she continued to live there after her parents' death, while the rent amount was regulated by law.
At the time, the lease agreement was signed under the old rent control regulations. However, with the implementation of the Urban Lease Law of 1994, the legal framework for such contracts underwent a drastic change. Maricarmen took over the contract twenty years ago and always paid the rent on time, which increased according to inflation.
The situation changed in 2018 when an investment fund bought the building. The new owners initiated legal proceedings, alleging a failure in the subrogation of the contract, which they considered 'economically unsustainable.' The case reached the courts, and the Supreme Court of Spain ruled in favor of the company, which sought a 275% rent increase.
Maricarmen, a pensioner with 50% capacity, could not afford the requested amount. In the final months, hundreds of neighbors, social groups, and housing rights advocacy platforms mobilized in her support, holding camps and protests to block the eviction ordered by the courts.
Demonstrations in defense of affordable housing gathered thousands of people in various Spanish cities, after parliament rejected government proposals to alleviate the housing crisis. In Madrid, Saturday's protests gathered 70,000 people, according to authorities, although organizers cited a figure of 500,000.