Court halts eviction at 'Las Caracolas' municipal center in Madrid

• A Madrid administrative court has issued a stay on the eviction of a family from the 'Las Caracolas' temporary emergency center, a municipal facility managed by the company ASISPA.
• The legal intervention, prompted by the housing advocacy group PAH Vallekas, forces authorities to suspend the removal until the legality of the eviction can be reviewed by a judge.
• Activists argue the city and its operators have been expelling vulnerable families without due process or valid administrative justification, leaving them without effective judicial protection.

Background and Grievances

• The affected family, including two minors and a father with a 45% disability, were notified of their eviction one month before the planned August 6, 2026, departure date.
• PAH contends that the administration failed to provide real alternative housing, ignored the best interests of the children, and disregarded the father's disability.
• Residents report intimidation tactics, including threats that refusing to sign 'voluntary departure' documents could lead to the loss of child custody.

Conditions at the Facility

• Residents describe 'quasi-prison' conditions, including restricted access to basic hygiene products and inadequate food supplies.
• Strict rules prohibit residents from remaining inside during the day, forcing the mother to leave her children in public spaces while she works.
• Complaints allege that staff confiscate personal items, including specialized dietary foods for children, and perform room searches.

Implications for Future Cases

• The ruling establishes a critical precedent: administrative decisions to evict must now be weighed by a judge to prevent irreparable harm to families.
• PAH aims to use this case to challenge whether private operators can unilaterally decide on evictions without proper administrative transparency, adequate housing alternatives, or access to legal defense for the affected families.