Platforma de Afectadas por la Hipoteca (EN)

Mobilising against foreclosures and evictions in Spain

Part of the 2021/22 StadsSalonsUrbains lecture series ‘Cities for People, not for Profit. From private ownership to communal stewardship‘

The Platforma de Afectadas por la Hipoteca (Platform for People Affected by Foreclosures) is a nonpartisan citizen movement in which people directly affected by foreclosures and evictions, and their allies, organize together to demand the right to secure housing. The PAH carries out actions in many different fields (political, media, judicial, communication, social work, among others) to promote legal changes that prevent the violation of fundamental rights due to foreclosures and evictions. This talk will focus on the rise in evictions and foreclosures in Spanish cities, and how these events have burst the myth of housing security on which the financialization of housing is based. It reports how the PAH has organized affected residents and how a social support system has been put in place. The talk will start with a brief introduction on the context of housing in Spain, explain how the PAH emerged, how it has evolved to focus not only on mortgages but also on rent and occupations, how we organize ourselves, and the achievements of the movement both at the legislative level and empowerment of communities. The talk will also illustrate examples of different campaigns.