Barcelona City Council Demands Halt to Txema’s Eviction Amid Coliving Controversy
Barcelona, Spain – The Barcelona City Council has formally requested that New Amsterdam Developers (NAD) cease the eviction process against Txema Escorsa, a resident of a property on Sant Agustí street in Gràcia. The eviction is slated for Wednesday, March 25, 2026, and has ignited significant protests from housing advocacy groups, reminiscent of the Casa Orsola case in 2024.
Joan Ramon Riera, the city’s housing commissioner, conveyed the municipal government’s “frontal rejection of the actions of the NAD property.” Riera emphasized the “inadmissibility of continuing with the eviction and not returning to the dialogue initiated by the council last October.” He further demanded a halt to “all judicial processes, both for Mr. Escorsa and others promoted by the company,” advocating for the properties to be used for “residential purposes.”
Tenant’s Struggle and the Rise of Coliving
Escorsa’s situation highlights a growing concern in Barcelona’s housing market: the conversion of traditional apartments into ‘coliving’ spaces. He has consistently pointed out that his rent for an entire apartment is equivalent to the cost of a single room in a renovated ‘coliving’ unit directly above his. Of the 11 apartments in his building, only five tenants remain, with six units either active ‘colivings’ or undergoing renovation.
Escorsa is the first tenant in his building to receive an eviction notice. “It has fallen to me, but this is a collective struggle. We are a trench, we cannot let them pass,” he stated, acknowledging the “nerves, uncertainty, and sense of injustice” despite the solidarity his case has garnered. He also expressed disappointment that the court of first instance is proceeding with the eviction, despite an appeal being accepted by the Provincial Court.
The dispute centers on the validity of Escorsa’s contract. He continues to pay rent and seeks a contract renewal, while NAD claims his contract has expired, leading to the lawsuit. This scenario mirrors the widely publicized Casa Orsola case in Eixample, where investors acquired properties, declined to renew leases, and then converted vacant apartments into short-term rentals, fueling the city’s ongoing battle for affordable housing.
Illegal Works and Public Outcry
The building at 14 Sant Agustí street, owned by the same entity as Casa Papallona, has been a focal point of conflict for months. Residents and the Tenants’ Union have accused the company of undertaking illegal renovations without proper licenses to transform residential units into ‘coliving’ spaces. They have also urged the City Council to compel the property owner to allocate a percentage of the units for protected housing, a requirement for major renovations. Attempts to reach NAD (now New Nomad) for comment have been unsuccessful.
The Tenants’ Union has drawn parallels between the Sant Agustí case and Casa Orsola, calling for a vigil outside the building tonight to prevent the eviction. “We are fighting for the neighborhood and the city, for Gràcia or for colivings,” the Union declared on social media.
Mediation and Municipal Action
David Bondia, the Ombudsman of Barcelona, has accepted the Tenants’ Union’s request for mediation. Bondia has a history of successfully resolving housing crises, including Casa Orsola (which the City Council eventually purchased with the Habitat 3 Foundation) and Vallcarca, where he facilitated the rehousing of 14 squatters from municipal properties. The Ombudsman aims to “facilitate dialogue” with the property owner and “negotiate a solution so that no one has to leave their home.”
Residents of the building claim that since NAD acquired the property in 2023, their attempts to contact the owner to extend contracts and prevent evictions have been met with refusal. “They have gone ahead with their plan not to renew rental contracts, expel people, carry out works, and install colivings,” the Union lamented.
From the City Council, Joan Ramon Riera confirmed that fines totaling 20,000 euros have been issued for unlicensed works. He also highlighted that since December, room rentals are regulated, and their prices are capped, meaning the total rent for all rooms in a unit cannot exceed the official index price. Riera called on the Generalitat to show “maximum speed and deployment of inspection and disciplinary activity.” Escorsa reported that inspectors visited the property this Tuesday morning. The municipal commissioner reiterated: “We are committed to the right to the city; we are against speculative actions like NAD’s.” Regarding the possibility of the city purchasing the block, as happened with Casa Orsola, the current property owner has not indicated a willingness to sell.
Source: elpais.com
