Madrid, February 2, 2026 – The Madrid City Council has completed the demolition of two illegal shantytowns situated along the M-30 ring road. One settlement, comprising approximately 20 shacks, was located on the hillside near the Avenida de Badajoz bridge and the M-30’s exits 4 and 5, in the Ciudad Lineal district. Another cluster of informal dwellings, where over 20 people were reportedly sleeping, was removed from the Puente de Vallecas scalextric area.
Council Action Follows Resident Complaints
The operation in Ciudad Lineal brings an end to a source of unsanitary conditions that had prompted repeated complaints from local residents. The shantytown, established next to the Cubos building and the Ilunion Tower, was dismantled over several days through a coordinated effort by municipal services and the Social Policies department. This follows the earlier removal of another settlement near the Ventas bridge.
Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida had announced in early January his administration’s intention to demolish these informal shelters across the capital, particularly those along the M-30’s edges. “Next week, the immediate removal of this illegal settlement will take place, as we will do with the various ones in the city of Madrid,” Almeida stated at the time.
Residents Skeptical of Long-Term Solutions
Despite the demolitions, residents in the affected areas remain skeptical about the long-term effectiveness of these actions. They report issues of accumulated rubbish, cohabitation problems, and safety concerns for those who frequently pass through the area. “It doesn’t matter, they tear them down and they put them up again nearby,” complained one resident, expressing indignation at the persistent dirt and waste around Albacete Street even after the shacks were removed.
Residents argue that simply demolishing the shantytowns does not address the root cause of the problem. They claim that after each municipal intervention, similar situations reappear in other locations close to the M-30. “In the end, it’s always the same: they clean one place, and another settlement appears a few meters away,” lamented another resident, calling for a “real and lasting solution” to prevent these informal housing clusters from merely relocating within the neighborhood.
Integrated Approach with Social Services
Councillor José Fernández emphasized last week that the operation extended beyond mere demolition. “The City Council always acts hand-in-hand with social services,” he stated, with the aim of offering alternatives to the individuals living in these areas. “We are talking about people experiencing homelessness, with very fluid profiles, who come and go, which makes it difficult to maintain a closed census, but that does not prevent individualized social intervention,” Fernández explained.
The councillor highlighted Madrid’s Municipal Network for the Care of Homeless People, which currently offers 1,210 places across six shelters, housing programs, and preventive resources specifically for women and young people.
Increased Resources for Homeless Support
Fernández also announced that the City Council plans to bolster these resources in 2026. “We are going to increase accommodation and care places by 18%, from 1,210 to 1,428,” he detailed. This expansion will be facilitated by the opening of the new Salamina shelter and the creation of additional housing places for homeless women who are victims of gender-based violence.
According to Fernández, these policies are already yielding positive results. “In 2025, the average number of people experiencing homelessness in Madrid was 1,015, a 9% decrease from the previous year,” he indicated. This decline, he added, is directly linked to the “detection and care work of the Street Teams,” whose staff increased by 30% last year with 18 new professionals, as well as the increased capacity within the municipal network.
Source: Madrid City Council, El Mundo
