Inside Tenerife’s squatting crisis | Unreported World

Quick Overview

The eviction process in Tenerife is fraught with conflict, as property owners, often resorting to private security groups like EZ Property Solutions, attempt to remove squatters, leading to confrontations, arrests for coercion, and tenants feeling desperate due to the lack of affordable housing and exploitative legal loopholes.

Key Points: Roberto Pérez, a representative for EZ Property Solutions, was arrested by the Guardia Civil for coercion (00:14) during an eviction attempt. Squatters, like Yaneth Gonzalez, struggle with high rents (e.g., 1000 euros rent on a 1200 euro income) and face eviction from properties they have occupied for years (04:54, 06:09). The abandoned Grand Hotel Callao, which features 92 bedrooms and is 40,000 square meters, was occupied by squatters who claim they are non-violent (07:55, 12:01). The owner of the Grand Hotel Callao reportedly hired EZ Mediation, a private company, to negotiate evictions, leading to confrontations where pepper spray was allegedly used against squatters (21:25). Canary Islands Housing Minister Pablo Rodriguez acknowledged that tourism, essential to the islands' economy (accounting for 40% of jobs), often supersedes housing priorities, causing the supply of rental properties to fall by up to 70% (16:06, 12:52). One resident, Carlos, stated he won a court case a year prior but is still waiting for social housing, claiming he has been driven to take sleeping pills due to the stress (14:44, 15:02). The eviction team is seen blocking access to parking/storage areas with cinder blocks (06:23) and confronting residents, including one who was later arrested (20:32).

Context: This documentary segment focuses on the severe housing crisis and resulting squatting conflicts in Tenerife, Canary Islands, driven by soaring rental prices and the prioritization of tourism over local housing needs. The video follows a journalist as she investigates confrontations between property owners' private security teams (EZ Property Solutions) and long-term squatters occupying abandoned buildings like the Grand Hotel Callao.