HIC joins the manifesto for the immediate recovery of Law 24/2015, the “Housing Emergency Law” in Catalonia

The housing articles of this law were challenged by the Partido Popular Political Party in the Constitutional Court in May 2016 and is suspended in articles that refer to guaranteeing the right to housing. “With 61 daily evictions and the emergency tables collapsed with more than 2,000 applicants, while financial institutions continue to speculate on housing, it is clear the urgency of having the Law 24/2015 in force in its entirety this same month of October”, so states the communiqué launched by the Promoting Group of the ILP, formed by the Platform of People Affected by Mortgages (the PAH Barcelona), the DESC Observatory and the Alliance against Energy Poverty.

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As demonstrated during the months in which the law was being applied, it is a tool that responds to the housing emergency because on the one hand it forces large holders to give their empty housing to municipalities to fulfill its social function, and on the other hand ensures a social rent to families who have not been able to cope with their mortgage or rent, and who are at risk of losing their home or have already lost it

The manifesto has the support of 50 initial signatories, including HIC: municipalities such as Barcelona, Sabadell, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Sant Vicenç dels Horts i Reus, among others; the Federació de Municipis de Catalunya and the Associació Catalana de Municipis; and professional Associations, trade unions and third sector entities such as CCOO-Catalunya, UGT-Catalunya, the Taula Tercer Sector Social, the Comissió de Defensa dels Drets de la Persona i del Lliure Exercicici de l’Advocacia de l’ICAB and the Associació Catalana per la Defensa dels Drets, Col-legi d’educadores socialess. It is further supported by social movements and organised civil society such as the Sindicat de Llogateres, Òmnium Cultural, ANC, Habitat International Coalition, CONFAVB, Aigua és vida, FAPAC, ILP Renda garantida, Bombers indignats and UGT-Bombers.

The citizens of Catalonia cry out ]that the Law 24/2015 be urgently reinstated back in force, with a broad initial support. We know that this pioneering support will be extended from today to social entities, administrations and all people in every town and city who suffer the loss of housing and cuts in supplies, and those who work to assist people in residential exclusion from different areas, because they know that this way we would have a tool to end evictions. Law 24/2015 is a law of all; it is a law that literally saves lives and makes it evident that in the face of unjust laws, courageous measures and tools are needed that are up to the answers and solutions that citizens need.

The Manifesto states that the government of Pedro Sánchez (PSOE) must correct the mistakes of the Popular Party in an agile and effective way. There are numerous precedents in which a change of government has meant the withdrawal of appeals against socially outstanding laws that guarantee human rights to all people. The same PSOE, under the presidency of Mr. Zapatero, withdrew at least 21 appeals promoted by the Popular Party against laws of Andalusia, Aragon, Catalonia, Asturias, Castilla-la Mancha, Basque Country and Extremadura; most of these related to social matters, such as education, health and its regulation, civil law and the regulation of adoption by de facto couples.

Catalonia leads the ranking of evictions in the whole State. Pedro Sánchez has in his hands the power to recover our Law and demonstrate his
political height by taking a step forward in the conquest of the right to housing. It is time to move from words to deeds.

There is a clear and broad demand to recover Law 24/2015. Today it is possible! It is only a question of political will.

#VolemLa24

MANIFIESTO: To join the Manifesto click here