A family residing in Figueres reports that they have been living for three years in a single room in the maternal grandmother's home, in a two-bedroom apartment located in the city. The parents and their two minor children, aged 8 and 4, have been sharing this space since 2021. The situation has worsened since January 7, when the father began sleeping in the family car due to cohabitation problems in the home.
The forced coexistence and the lack of alternatives
The mother explains that the family occupies the second room of the apartment, where the grandmother and her partner also reside. According to her testimony, they do not receive any type of unemployment benefit, guaranteed income, or child support, except for 130 euros every six months from Social Security for the two minors. She works sporadically as a dog groomer, while the father has recently secured a permanent contract with a logistics company, with a salary of approximately 1,500 euros per month.
"It's been three years that we are four in a room, I, my husband and my two children." - Affected mother
The family assures that they have been looking for housing for three years in Figueres and nearby municipalities such as Vilafant, Fortià, and Lladó. According to the mother, agencies and landlords require at least one year of employment history to access a rental, a requirement they cannot meet. The most economical rent they have found amounts to 690 euros per month, while other apartments exceed 790 euros.
They demand access to a social rent or temporary accommodation
Given the impossibility of accessing the private rental market, the family requests a housing solution adjusted to their income. The mother insists that she is not asking for gratuity, but a social rent or, failing that, temporary accommodation until their situation is resolved. She warns that, if they do not find an alternative in less than 20 days, the entire family could end up sleeping in the car.
"I am not asking for anything free. I am asking for a social rent that adapts to our income. If there are no available flats, at least that they put us in a hotel temporarily until they find a solution." - Affected Mother
The woman states that she has gone to the Figueres City Council and has requested a meeting with the mayor, without receiving a response so far. She also recounts that she has never accessed municipal social housing and that the last time they had housing was during the pandemic, through a real estate agency.
Trajectory of precariousness and episodes of vulnerability
The family has gone through various situations of housing precariousness. After losing their last apartment due to intimidation from people in the neighborhood who wanted to use it to plant marijuana, they temporarily moved to Huelva and then to a hotel, before returning to Figueres. Since then, their only option has been to settle in the maternal grandmother's house.
The mother states that she has repeatedly gone to social services during the last three years, but her file opens and closes depending on whether she finds temporary jobs. She requests to enter the housing emergency table, although she has been informed that the father's salary exceeds the economic threshold established to access this resource.
"What I ask for is to enter the housing emergency table. But they tell me that with my husband's salary we exceed the economic threshold." - Affected mother
According to her account, social services have informed her that in one or two weeks they will inform her if she meets the requirements to receive aid. The mother suffers from anxiety, agoraphobia, and panic attacks and is under mental health monitoring. Furthermore, she has received a notification from the Tax Agency for a water debt exceeding 400 euros from a dwelling where they no longer resided or were registered.
Network of support and warning of possible consequences
The family has the support of entities such as Red Cross, Caritas and La Xarxa de l"Alt Empordà, which have provided them with food aid and assistance in the job search. The mother warns that, if on the 20th of this month she does not get a response, she will set up a tent in front of the social services of Figueres to demand a dignified housing solution.
"My children and I have less than 30 days left before we could end up sleeping with my husband in the car." - Affected Mother
According to the interviewee, in social services they have warned her that they could withdraw her custody of the minors if the whole family ends up living in the vehicle. The mother maintains that many low-income families in the area are forced into similar situations due to the combination of insufficient wages and the lack of access to social housing or aid.
- The family resides in a room in Figueres for three years
- The father sleeps in the car since January 7
- They request urgent access to social rent or temporary accommodation
- Social services are studying if they meet the requirements to receive help