The debate surrounding squatting has intensified in Aiaraldea, with the case of Tipularren House in Laudio serving as a prime example. A year ago, twelve young Algerian individuals, who were living on the streets, moved into the building after finding it open. The case has now reached the courts and faces an eviction order.
Initially, a judge in Amurrio acquitted the young people last July, ruling that the conditions for a conviction were not met. The judge argued that, due to works carried out by the URA Agency on the Nervión river, bushes around the house were cleared and a wall was demolished, leaving the building open. Furthermore, it was noted that the house had been occupied in 2008, and the owner had not filed a complaint at that time.
“"Before, we had such cases in Bilbao, but for two years now, people have also been coming to us from Aiaraldea or Durangaldea. In your region, I also handled a case in Orduña, for example. In that case, some young people moved into a warehouse to live."
However, following the acquittal, the house owner filed another complaint. A different judge reviewed the case and, this time, decided to fine four individuals 2,400 euros (600 euros each) and order their eviction. This judge stated that the Ertzaintza had notified the convicted individuals about the complaint, yet they did not vacate the house.
The young people have stated that they did not understand what the police told them, but the judge did not believe them. This situation will directly impact the lives of the twelve young people residing there, most of whom are migrants from Algeria, who were living on the streets and arrived in Laudio by train.
This squatting case reflects a shift in the profile of young migrants. Previously, squatting was associated with individuals seeking to live outside the system; now, however, it is migrant youth without a place to sleep or resources to pay for a room who are forced to take this path. A lawyer has indicated that occupied houses are often abandoned and in poor condition, causing no harm to the owners.
Tipularren House, a 19th-century building, has been vacant since 1999 and was also occupied in 2008. The young people have made minor repairs, but the building lacks basic services, such as water, and suffers from dampness and rat problems. The young people have reported that the situation has also caused them health issues. Despite this, living there has provided them with some stability to study and enroll in vocational training, with the aim of settling in Laudio.
The eviction, in addition to the fine, will create a record against them, making it difficult for them to participate in the urgent regularization process recently opened by the Spanish Government. Thus, the wait for a work permit will be longer, and they will once again be at risk of homelessness.
