Housing crisis in Barcelona: Dogs allowed, children not

In the outskirts of Barcelona, near the town of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, a family preparing for the arrival of their newborn child faces eviction after failing to pay rent. The mother, identified only as Lorena, lost her job following a dispute with her employer. She and her daughter, along with two other tenants, are being forced to vacate a ground-floor apartment within four weeks. As they pack their belongings into a van, activists from the PAH, Platform for People Affected by Mortgages, gather nearby, wearing green T-shirts bearing the slogan “Stop Desahucios” (“Stop Evictions”). Their presence underscores the growing crisis in housing affordability in the city. The eviction highlights a broader trend in Barcelona, where rising rents and a lack of affordable housing have left many families struggling to stay in their homes. According to data from the Observatorio del Alquiler, a research institute analyzing Spain’s rental market, average interest in rental properties surged dramatically in late 2025, with nearly 462 interested parties per listing during the first ten days after an offer was posted, a record high since the organization began tracking such figures. This demand has been driven largely by the city's popularity among tourists, which has created a lucrative market for landlords who prefer to rent out properties through platforms like Airbnb rather than to long-term residents. Since 2014, average rents in Barcelona have increased by 68 percent, making even modest accommodations unaffordable for many. A one-room apartment typically commands between €1,000 and €1,300 in cold rent alone. With more than 10,000 legal tourist apartments available, the competition for housing has intensified further. The city government has responded by planning to allow licenses for these tourist rentals to expire by 2028, aiming to increase availability for local residents. The PAH, formed in 2009 amid Spain’s financial and real estate crisis, has become one of Europe’s most prominent housing movements. Initially focused on preventing evictions linked to defaulted mortgages, the group has expanded its efforts to combat rising rents and displacement caused by investment funds and large property owners. Activists from 23 countries attended a conference in Barcelona last year to discuss the impact of investment capital on the housing market and strategies to resist displacement. During the recent eviction, a judge granted the family six additional weeks to remain in the apartment, a temporary reprieve celebrated by PAH members who cheered and raised their fists in solidarity. However, this delay does not resolve the underlying issue of finding stable, affordable housing. The family still faces uncertainty over where they will go once their time runs out. The situation reflects a deeper structural problem in Barcelona, where housing has increasingly become an asset for investors rather than a necessity for residents. Banks, investment funds, and large property owners are often cited by the PAH as key players in driving up prices and reducing availability. The movement argues that policies favoring short-term rental markets over long-term residential stability exacerbate the crisis. As the family prepares for their uncertain future, the broader implications of the housing crisis continue to unfold. With limited space and ever-rising costs, many residents face difficult choices between paying rent or meeting basic living expenses. For now, the family has gained a brief respite, but the question of where they will live remains unanswered.