The building, owned by the investment fund Cerberus, houses eight families, including minors. The eviction order was scheduled for this Monday, but the concentration of nearly 200 people at the entrance, organized by the Platform of People Affected by Mortgages and Capitalism (PAHC) del Bages, managed to prevent the judicial delegation from advancing. The High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) confirmed that the suspension is indefinite at the owner's request.
“"We are very fighting families; we need social housing because today this block belongs to us."
The Mayor of Manresa, Marc Aloy, had been strongly opposed to the eviction, although he stressed that occupation “should never be a way to access housing.” Aloy harshly criticized the Cerberus fund for having “neglected its responsibilities” at the property for years and for its speculative attitude.
“"This is a clear case of terrible speculation by a large landlord."
The City Council attempted to resolve the situation by offering social housing to the affected family, Yuli, and requested the eviction suspension on February 4. However, the judge in Manresa initially dismissed the request, arguing that the social services report did not prove the resident's vulnerability.
Aloy also regretted that the property had broken an initial commitment to sell the building for 450,000 euros, subsequently increasing the price by 200,000 euros. Furthermore, he noted that the Catalan Housing Agency (Agència de l'Habitatge de la Generalitat) and a social foundation are interested in acquiring the property.
