Palma’s eviction procedures criticised

PALMA City Council has come under fire for the large amount of unresolved evictions taking place in the city.

An organisation looking at those affected by mortgage repayments criticised the council for its approach to home repossession and evictions.

The organisation has said that over the last two weeks the council has referred 20 cases of families on the point of being evicted to the social services without first attempting to find a satisfactory solution to the problem.

Social Services representative Ana Ferriol has confirmed that she knows of 10 such cases, and says that the families are being attended to. She did not elaborate on whether or not an adequate solution to the problem was able to be found.

Far from being satisfied with this response, Àngela Pons, spokeswoman for the organisation representing these families, has released details of yet more families threatened with eviction.

Pons also gave her support to a motion that would reallocate funds of €300,000 that are currently being used to rent rooms in hostels for the homeless. Under the new proposals, these funds could be used to create up to 100 social houses.

Although the motion has not been granted by the council, many do not understand how the council can consider paying €3,000 a month for a family to stay in a hostel, when the same amount of money could be used to fund between five and seven houses.

Calls have also been made for the banks to release unoccupied houses to the government for use as social housing.

Replying to these accusations, Ana Ferriol said that there was no quick fix, but that as well as providing help for families to stay in hostels, the council has also designated at least €500,000 to pay for rents and €200,000 for home maintenance so far this year.