Thousands protested in Madrid, Spain, on Sunday, demanding more cheap housing amid mounting resentment among Spaniards who believe they are being priced out of the market.
Residents marched across the Spanish capital with the slogan “Housing is a right, not a business” to demand reduced housing rental prices and better living conditions.
According to the Spanish government, 12,000 people took to the streets.
“Spaniards cannot live in their own cities. They are forcing us out of the cities. The government has to regulate prices, regulate housing,” said nurse Blanca Prieto, 33.
In July, the Spanish government launched a crackdown on short-term and seasonal vacation rentals. It intends to investigate postings on sites such as Airbnb (ABNB.O), opens new tab, and Booking.com (BKNG.O), opens new tab, to determine whether they are licensed.
Spain is attempting to strike a balance between encouraging tourism, a crucial economic engine, and addressing people’s worries about unaffordable rents caused by gentrification and landlords migrating to more lucrative tourist rentals.
On Sunday, protestors in Barcelona held a separate rally against the America’s Cup sailboat race, accusing the major athletic event of raising rental prices and bringing more tourists to an already overcrowded city.
Residents of the Canary Islands and Malaga have also protested this year over the increase in tourist rentals.
Seasonal hospitality workers struggle to obtain lodging in major tourist hotspots, and many resort to sleeping in caravans or even their automobiles.
