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The eviction of a neighbour in Gràcia sparks protests and reopens the debate on coliving
The Gràcia neighbourhood has become the epicentre of a new housing mobilisation in Barcelona. The imminent eviction of Txema Escorsa has brought hundreds of neighbours together in front of his building, in a protest that once again highlights the pressure of the property market in the city.
The building, located on Sant Agustí street, was acquired by the fund New Amsterdam Developers, which has been converting the flats into colivings with rooms reaching up to 950 euros a month. Currently, only five of the eleven flats still have long-term tenants.
The institutional response has been immediate. The Ajuntament has demanded a halt to the legal process and that the flats be used for residential purposes, while the Generalitat has activated legal mechanisms to protect those affected. The case is reminiscent of recent mobilisations in the city, where neighbourhood pressure managed to stop evictions.
Groups such as the Sindicato de Inquilinas have driven the call to action, defending the right to housing against speculation. On the street, the protest is seen as more than just an individual case: it is a symbol of the changes taking place in central neighbourhoods.
The conflict reopens the debate on the rise of colivings in Barcelona, a model that increases the profitability of properties but also accelerates the displacement of neighbours and transforms the social fabric of the city.
The president of Catalonia supports Gràcia neighbours facing the threat of eviction.