{"id":33102,"date":"2026-09-28T16:40:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T14:40:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phoneenglish.es\/blog\/?p=33102"},"modified":"2026-09-29T10:57:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T08:57:17","slug":"eviction-of-woman-aged-87-highlights-spain-housing-shortage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phoneenglish.es\/blog\/2026\/09\/eviction-of-woman-aged-87-highlights-spain-housing-shortage\/","title":{"rendered":"Eviction of Woman Aged 87 Highlights Spain Housing Shortage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

B2 \u2014 Upper Intermediate<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maricarmen\u2019s eviction has become a prominent example of Spain\u2019s ongoing housing crisis. In September 2026, 87-year-old Mar\u00eda del Carmen Abascal was evicted from her Madrid apartment after living there for more than 70 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her case attracted national attention because of the sharp increase in the rent demanded by the new property owner and concerns about whether vulnerable long-term tenants have enough protection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her eviction also sparked protests and renewed discussion about rising rents, housing affordability, evictions, and the shortage of adequate housing in Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case has therefore become part of a wider debate about how Spain can balance property rights with access to stable and affordable housing for people at risk of displacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the article and find out more about Maricarmen\u2019s eviction and Spain\u2019s housing crisis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c6vgy55lm8z1o<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vocabulary Questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. What does \u201ceviction<\/strong>\u201d mean? \u201cSeveral hundred people, mostly youngsters, had gathered by the morning in a bid to prevent the <\/em>eviction<\/em><\/strong> from taking place, chanting “Maricarmen stays\u201d.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. What does \u201ctenant<\/strong>\u201d mean? \u201cThe <\/em>tenant<\/em><\/strong> of the flat in the Retiro area of central Madrid, Maricarmen, was unable to pay the rent set by the investment firm that owns it.\u201d <\/em>Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. What does \u201cunbridled<\/strong>\u201c mean? \u201cToday is a very sad day, a very dramatic day, when it’s plain to see the effects of <\/em>unbridled<\/em><\/strong> speculation, of not wanting to control the market, of putting out the red carpet for the vultures and the speculators.<\/em>\u201d Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Discussion Questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Why has Maricarmen\u2019s case attracted so much public attention? What are your thoughts on her eviction from her home?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. How can rising rents affect elderly and low-income residents?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Should long-term tenants receive additional protection from eviction? Why or why not?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Should rent increases be regulated in areas where housing is especially expensive?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Share your thoughts on this, \u201cSome critics of the government say it needs to work harder to build new homes, and others warn that its rhetoric discourages many owners from placing their properties on the rental market.<\/em>\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      B2 \u2014 Upper Intermediate  Maricarmen\u2019s eviction has become a prominent example of Spain\u2019s ongoing housing crisis. In September 2026, 87-year-old Mar\u00eda del Carmen Abascal was evicted from her Madrid apartment after living there for more than 70 years.  Her case attracted national attention because of the sharp increase in the rent demanded by the new […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[291,292,289,307,293],"class_list":["post-33102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-homework","tag-b2-upper-intermediate","tag-first-certificate-fce","tag-reading","tag-social-issues","tag-text"],"yoast_head":"\nEviction of Woman Aged 87 Highlights Spain Housing Shortage | phone english blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/phoneenglish.es\/blog\/2026\/09\/eviction-of-woman-aged-87-highlights-spain-housing-shortage\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Eviction of Woman Aged 87 Highlights Spain Housing Shortage | phone english blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"B2 \u2014 Upper Intermediate  Maricarmen\u2019s eviction has become a prominent example of Spain\u2019s ongoing housing crisis. 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