Madrid Evicts Family with Disabled Baby Despite UN Warning—Only Offered a Single Room

Madrid Evicts Family with Disabled Baby Despite UN Warning—Only Offered a Single Room

Spain’s housing agency threw a family of five, including a baby with Down syndrome, onto the street Wednesday, ignoring a direct plea from the United Nations to stop the eviction until alternative housing was found.

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The Madrid Social Housing Agency carried out the eviction just one day after the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child urged local authorities to halt the action [199329][196764]. The family had been granted a postponement until Sunday, but officials moved early, sending eight police officers to remove them [199329].

During the eviction, father Herminio shouted at the officers: “You have no conscience, no heart!” [199329][196764]. Neighbors formed a human chain to block the entrance, but police dragged some away [196764].

The only offer from the regional government was a single room in a shared apartment, which the family refused [199329][196764]. “A room is not a solution for a large family,” said José, the mother’s brother [196764]. The Madrid City Council claimed social services offered temporary accommodation, but supporters said it was just a bed in the living room of the mother’s relative [196764].

The family now must split up and stay with relatives. “At least until someone listens to the UN,” Herminio said [196764].

The eviction came as the new UN Special Rapporteur on housing, Koldo Casla, warned that Spain risks violating international treaty obligations if it fails to implement rent controls [200246]. Spain receives 90% of all housing complaints submitted to the UN committee and has only 2% to 3% public housing—far behind the UK’s 17% and the Netherlands’ 32% [200246].

“Spain is at the back of the line in Europe,” Casla said, blaming decades of policy that turned public housing into private property [200246].

Sources

Spain Evicts Family with Disabled Child, Ignoring UN Plea #199329Madrid evicts family with Down syndrome child despite UN plea #196764UN: Madrid must cap rents or break the law #200246

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