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Vol. 6 Issue 153
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April 10th - April 23rd 2025
‘Housing can never be a commodity, it must be a right we protect:’ Hundreds of thousands march across Spain
MASS PROTEST: Hundreds of thousands marched through the streets of Spanish cities
EXCLUSIVE By Samantha Mythen & Dylan Wagemans
Top award for Olive Press
A report from Spain’s central bank revealed that nearly 40% of families spend over 40% of their income on housing costs. Meanwhile, public housing accounts for less than 2% of Spain’s total housing stock - well below the OECD average of 7%. the big cities like Activists called for measures such as Valencia and Alicante or, often, inland forced rent reductions and increased villages. social housing construction. In Malaga there are 34,466 people reg“In the centre of many cities there are istered as seeking property while there simply no locals any more,” Manu- are 7,496 tourist apartments with el Gomez told the Olive Press. “Only 32,132 beds available. tourists and businesses that focus on In Valencia protesters could be heard them.” from miles away with hundreds of The engineer added: “My first rental whistles and Brazilian batucada price was €200 for a room. Now the drums. normal price is around €500-600, Young people are particularly affected while my partner and I pay €850 be- by rising housing costs. tween us. Mari Sanchez, a 26-year-old lawyer “In the past five years, there’s been who shares an apartment with four an increase of around 45% of the cost Continues on Page 4 of living, and salaries simply haven’t matched.” This has areacostablanca.com meant that most 966 112 428 l o c a l families have been forced to move to YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENCY FOR CALPE, the outBENISSA, MORAIRA AND REGION skirts of
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over the weekend demanding urgent changes to property laws. Demonstrators in 40 cities, including Sevilla, THOUSANDS of people turned out in Malaga, Madrid, BarceValencia and Alicante to protest about lona and Palma, united Spain’s housing crisis. under the slogan ‘Down They were joined by hun- with the housing busiSee page 3 dreds of thousands of ness’, calling for an end to people around the housing-for-profit. country They called for immediate action to tackle soaring rents, a lack of affordable housing, and the prioritisation of local needs over tourism-driven policies. An estimated 4,000 people protested in Valencia, gathering outside the City Hall to demand a solution FACING EVICTION: Yolanda Greta and to the lack of affordable Jimena Centurion housing. They called for lower rents, an end to evictions, and an increase in public housing. THE Olive Press has scooped a top UK journal- while learning her trade Alicante’s protest ism award: with campaigning young go-getter at the Olive Press, after attracted a thouYzabelle Bostyn. studying journalism in Sheffield. sand demonstraYzzy, 25, who joined us from university in Here in Spain, the Yorkshire native developed tors, making sim2023, has won the UK’s prestigious NCTJ the skills, dedication, and investigative ilar demands with Trainee of the Year award. mindset that have propelled her career. one neighbourShe picked up the gong for her ‘hard-hitThe NCTJ (National Council for the hood association ting’ investigative reporting on a variety Training of Journalists) highlighted her stating that tourof social and health issues in Spain. dogmatic pursuit of a holiday rental ists were being priHer impactful reporting was praised scammer and a politician, who illegaloritised over local for offering a ‘brilliant public serly evicted a British mother-of-three. residents. vice’ to our readers and ‘bringing It also praised her work on our sucThe protests come important real world issues to cessful Nolotil campaign which as average rents in light’. exemplified her ability to dig Spain have douOur exact DNA for the last two dedeep into critical issues and presbled over the past cades, she beat finalists from the ent them in a clear, impactful way. decade while propTimes and the Midland’s Express Sadly Yzzy is now leaving us for erty prices have & Star. a year’s sabbatical in Canada, no surged by 44%, far The award recognised the high jourdoubt tracking down wrong-doing outpacing wage nalistic standards she demonstrated on the Klondike Trail! growth.
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