Ana Barrios, 37, has lived in Marina del Port for almost five years, having moved from Santa Eulàlia (L’Hospitalet de Llobregat) to be closer to the Escola Especial Nostra Senyora de Montserrat, attended by two of her three children, all of whom have autism. After reporting her partner for gender violence and the death of her father, who was her caregiver, in early 2023, the woman faced a critical financial situation.
“"I was my father's caregiver and I am a mother 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, because my children depend on me 90%. When he died, I had to decide whether to pay the rent or eat."
The apartment, located on Mare de Déu del Port street, was sold to a private individual who refused to negotiate a social rent. The court ordered the eviction last October, but a lawyer's error meant Barrios was not notified until Thursday of last week, just days before the scheduled eviction date, which was this Monday.
In desperation, Barrios' current partner contacted the Grup d’Habitatge de Sants (GHAS), which immediately mobilized. Nearly thirty people gathered on Monday, January 12th, outside the home. Thanks to the mediation of GHAS and the Municipal Service for Intervention and Mediation in Housing Loss Situations (SIPHO), the owner and the judicial commission agreed to postpone the eviction until February 27th.
This postponement gives the family a month and a half to find an alternative. Barrios insists she needs affordable housing, around 400 euros, and that it must be in the neighborhood due to her children's school ties. Municipal Housing services have committed to offering them a solution in the area before the new date, either through a Public Housing flat or another formula.
