The Municipality of Santa Olalla eradicates illegal occupation of housing – "squatting"

Pedro Congosto, the mayor of Santa Olalla, said that his municipality was "getting closer and closer to getting rid of squatting completely." The statement was made after evaluating the work of the Mayor's Office in cooperation with the law enforcement forces and the security corps to implement a solution to this problem.

Congosto explained: "Early in the week, while we were enjoying the holidays, we received the news that our struggle against illegal occupation of houses in our city had borne fruit. This time we have freed the housing on San Ginés Street from squatters."

The mayor recalled that the city authorities have long been fighting against squatting, especially against those who "do not respect their neighbors and encroach on sustainable coexistence in communities." Congosto stressed the importance of a new achievement that will bring Santa Olalla closer to the goal that was set at the Consistory (Supreme Assembly) – the goals of getting rid of squatters and squatting as a phenomenon.

Congosto appreciated the practicality of the municipal "anti-squatting policy" approved by the regional government. The policy is aimed at responding to the demands of residents suffering from illegal occupation of housing (a common practice in Spain).

The resolution proved to be very effective, although the approval of the program was received only by votes from the center-right party "People's Party" (Partido Popular).

The mayor of the municipality also noted how few tools the cities of Spain have to combat this phenomenon, and demanded help from both the government of the country and the Junta de Comunidades. Foremost, the national authorities should "adopt laws through which municipalities will be able to resolutely combat this illegal phenomenon."