DOZENS of families evicted from their homes on the Costa del Sol this week have told the Olive Press they have only ten days to find a solution ‘before becoming homeless’.
It comes, as they told the paper they were given ‘just ten minutes’ to pack up and leave despite some of them living in their block in Manilva, near Estepona – AND paying rent – for over a decade.
The group – many of whom are being looked after by the Red Cross while staying in the municipal sports hall of Manilva – told the town’s mayor Mario Jimenez Rodriguez they were disgusted the so-called socialist politician had allowed the mass eviction of 62 families.
When he eventually turned up to meet them at around 1pm on Wednesday, they stormed over to him and many had to be held back from attacking him.
If it wasn’t for the dozen or more policeman he had brought with him, he would definitely have been punched.
In total, around a third of the families (around 50 adults and 30 children) have nowhere else to live.
A number of them told the Olive Press about how the evictions were carried out. They told us how police firstly knocked on their doors around 9am, asked how many people were inside each apartment, and gave them just minutes to leave.
Mother-of-two Laura Molina, who has lived in the block since 2015, revealed: “We opened the door and they simply barked: ‘How many people live here? Three? Okay, you’ve got ten minutes to go,” Laura Molina, explained. “Some people didn’t even get ten minutes. And if you didn’t get out on time, they pushed you out. It was disgraceful.”Â
As a result, many residents were forced to leave many of their belongings behind and fear they will never get them back.
Items left behind in the apartments – and on balconies, as pictured by our journalists – are now being cleared.
Police claimed the evictions were legal as they handed the families documents that clearly stated ‘any furniture and belongings’ found in this address ‘will be considered abandoned and may be thrown into the bins.
“We don’t know anything more than that,” added Molina, whose children are 6 and 3-years-old. “But we are left with nothing,”.
Mayor Jimenez visited the evicted families today after the council had an emergency meeting, but told them he was unable to help.
Emotions ran high, in particular, after the mayor informed the families they can only stay in the sports hall for 10 days. After that, they have to leave and find a new place of their own.
‘He told me he feels sorry for me and my kids, but that he can’t do anything for us,’ added Molina, who is currently stranded in the sports hall with no idea where she will go.
The announcement has sparked fear and anger among residents, many of whom have lived in their homes for over a decade.
Some families had rental agreements dating back 12 years with the previous owners, paying €50 a month, while others had no formal contracts.
They were allowed to move in after the block was left half finished after the crash of 2008 started to ravage Spain. They were told they could move in do up and renovate the apartments and pay the peppercorn rents.
Two years ago, the agreements weren’t renewed after the building was sold to the investment firm SPV REOCO 3 SL, described by locals as a ‘vulture fund’ and understood by the Olive Press to be owned by foreign investment.
These so-called vulture funds typically purchase undervalued, troubled assets with the intent of making a profit, often leading to aggressive measures like evictions.
While the company may have the legal right to evict the tenants, most believe the council should have stepped in and bought the block instead.
The Olive Press spent the day with the victims at the town’s sports hall, after attempting on various occasions to speak to the mayor at the town hall.
When we finally approached the mayor at the sports hall he acknowleged us, but declined to comment.
One mother, from Morocco, told the Olive Press meanwhile, that her family of five is now sharing a single bed inside the sports hall. A camp bed given to them by the Red Cross.
The charity has stepped in to provide basic supplies and is attempting to find temporary housing solutions.
According to a spokesman for the charity, it may cover rent for a few months, but beyond that, families face an uncertain future.
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