Observatori DESC report on housing exclusion at the local level in Barcelona

Publish Date: 
Thursday, November 10, 2016

This new report by Observatori DESC and the Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca (PAH) focuses on the right to housing at the local level. Looking specifically at the situation of housing exclusion in Barcelona, this report begins by framing the problem within the context of the international, European, national and municipal policies that govern the right to housing and the city in Barcelona.

The report focuses on Barcelona in the years 2013 to 2016. PAH has collected housing data on these years, creating a database of information from people affected by the mortgage crisis. This data has allowed for an analysis of the real lived experience of families affected by the mortgage crisis and their experiences with social services and banks.

Conclusions from the legal and data analysis of the report include recommendations to the Barcelona City Council to address the problems found and mitigate the future challenges the city will face. The lack of information provided directly by the government concerning housing gives particular importance to this report and the work of Observatori DESC and PAH as they aim to highlight the rights violations found based on concrete data.