News
Gràcia residents organise over an eviction and the rise of coliving
Gràcia is experiencing tense days over an eviction that has reopened the debate on access to housing in the city. The case, on Sant Agustí street, reflects the growing impact of coliving models in central neighbourhoods.
Today it was revealed that the President of Catalonia supports Gràcia residents facing eviction.
The investment fund New Amsterdam Developers has set 25 March as the date to carry out the eviction of a resident, as part of a broader plan to transform several buildings into high-yield shared accommodation.
The proposal involves dividing flats into rooms and renting them out for more than 900 euros, a figure that, according to neighbourhood groups, far exceeds the limits set for residential rentals in the area. They claim this strategy allows regulations to be bypassed and speeds up the displacement of residents.
The response in the neighbourhood has been immediate. Over the weekend, associations and residents organised information campaigns and protests, with activities in spaces such as Plaça del Sol and Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia. The protest will culminate in a camp-out in front of the building on the eve of the eviction.
The conflict goes beyond the individual case and points to a deeper transformation. According to housing groups, the coliving model can multiply property returns by six, which increases pressure on neighbourhoods like Gràcia.
In daily life, the situation means uncertainty for residents and a growing debate about the balance between investment, regulation, and the right to housing. The neighbourhood thus becomes a new stage for an urban tension affecting all of Barcelona.