‘Where are we going to sleep?’ Evicted mother and daughter to sleep outside Malaga town hall in protest

A MOTHER who was evicted from her home in Malaga will pitch a tent outside City Hall in protest against the city’s spiralling rental prices.

Monica and her 10-year-old daughter were left homeless after being evicted and failing to find an apartment they could afford – despite Monica working full time and receiving rental assistance.

Each night, her daughter asks where they will sleep, Monica says – a question that underscores the uncertainty and fear they now live with. 

‘The housing market is completely out of control’, Monica says. ‘I’m just asking for rent commensurate with my income, not a handout’.

For now, the pair are staying in a small boarding house provided temporarily by Malaga City Council. It has one bed, one toilet and no desk for her daughter to do her homework.

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Monica has said that once her time in the boarding house is up, she will take to the streets and pitch a tent outside of the Town Hall. 

In doing so, she hopes that they will reply to her seven written appeals and offer additional support in finding a rental for her and her child in the city.

Currently it stands that, after their few days in the boarding house, the mother and daughter pair will be moved to Antequera which is 52km away from the city.

The move would cost Monica her job and force her daughter to move schools. 

Monica earns €750 a month – far below what is needed to rent in Malaga where a single room can cost €500 and flats are advertised for €900 or more.

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Landlords will not rent to her even with rental assistance, Monica says. They prefer doctors, civil servants or people without children. 

Nico Sguiglia, a spokesperson for the municipal group Con Malga, said that the council ‘cannot look the other way while a working mother and daughter are left homeless’ and insists that the city has the resources to help. 

In solidarity, several social groups have called for a demonstration at the Town Hall under the slogan ‘Decent Housing for Monica and her Daughter’.

Municipal sources have said that Malaga City Council has offered support and advice to Monica, particularly given the presence of a minor, and is continuing to search for housing solutions and potential job alternatives. 

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