Court’s express eviction ruling angers the people of Cornellà

“We do not understand why there is such a hurry.” This was how the Deputy Mayor of Cornallà, Montserrat Pérez, yesterday referred to the speed with which the court authorised the eviction of a couple living in a rental apartment in Sant Ildefons which ended with the tragic death of the man, who jumped out of the window to his death on the street below.

The case in point concerned a couple already known to the council, which had been reprieved of eviction on two previous occasions. The owner of the building, a US equity fund and financial management firm know for its activities as a vulture fund, acquired a real estate portfolio from Banco Santander including foreclosures when the Santander bought the failed Banc Popular. The value of the flat was €120,00, a paltry sum in comparison with the €30 billion value of the portfolio. The couple were in arrears of seven months rent. Locals were joined outside the offices of the Housing Department yesterday by political parties and protest groups demanding action to end the express evictions as well as the seizure of empty properties held by venture funds and banks. The Catalan Minister of Welfare Chakir el Homrani lamented the fact that the Generalitat’s ability to respond in such situations is blocked by Madrid.