Mariano Ordaz, a 67-year-old pensioner, was evicted last Thursday from his lifelong home in Madrid's Embajadores neighborhood after a fifth eviction order was enforced. Previous attempts were halted by local protests, but this time police cordoned off the area with eight vans and four patrol cars.
The owner of the building is the Venerable Third Order of Saint Francis of Assisi (VOT), a religious institution that manages over 300 flats in central Madrid. Critics say it operates more like an investment fund than a religious congregation. Tenants report being offered below-market rents in exchange for refurbishing dilapidated units, while common areas suffer neglect.
Ordaz lost his job after the pandemic and could not afford rent increases to 800 euros monthly plus a 15,000-euro debt. The order justifies the eviction citing necessary repairs, but the Madrid Tenants' Union argues the poor condition stems from the order's own lack of maintenance.
The anti-eviction moratorium expired in Congress on February 26 after right-wing parties voted against it. The Tenants' Union warns this case could trigger up to 60,000 evictions of vulnerable families nationwide. A demonstration is called for May 24 in Madrid under the slogan "Housing is costing us our lives."
Madrid's rental market has seen 44 consecutive months of year-on-year increases, with prices soaring 33% since March 2022. Central district rents rarely fall below 2,000 euros monthly, highlighting a systemic housing crisis that extends well beyond this single eviction.