The residents who live in the abandoned houses of Playa Blanca have managed to delay the eviction that was going to take place this Tuesday. Due to the "desperate" situation they are in, they have opened the doors of their houses to La Voz and its protagonists have recounted their personal stories in first person.
A 29-year-old who works in construction has been living in one of the houses for a year with his wife, his two children, his sister-in-law and brother-in-law. "We had to get in here because there were no houses," the man revealed. A house for which he paid before occupying it: "They sold me the house for 600 euros", he revealed to the newspaper.
"They sold me the house for 600 euros"
A house in which he has invested time and money. "After working I start fixing the house", he revealed. Before knowing the news of the postponement, they wanted to evict them this Tuesday, at which point they were going to lose their belongings and all the work done would be in vain. That is why they asked for "support" and "some more time to get another house", the young man emphasizes.
Another of the families that resides in the area, arrived a year ago and settled in one of the houses after being left on the street. The woman who lives with her son, her daughter-in-law and her two-year-old grandson, tells us how they ended up in the area. "They kicked us out of the apartment we lived in for rent and we had to come here", she highlighted. "The landlord told us that he had sold the house and that we had to leave", she adds. A reason to which is added the various conditions that they ask to rent. "It is an abuse the amount of money and requirements they ask for," she stressed.
"They kicked us out of the apartment we lived in for rent and we had to come here"
In order to survive with the few resources they have, they obtain water by filling a tank. They know that these houses are not theirs and they do not intend to stay in them forever. "We do not want to take over the houses, we are clear that they are not ours," the woman said. They are willing to reach an agreement with the company: "If the owner offers us a deal to pay a monthly rent in exchange for staying, we would be willing", she added.
A father has his autistic son hospitalized since Saturday with an intestinal problem. The child became ill "because of the nerves he has had to go through and it is difficult for him to go to the bathroom", the father revealed. "They are waiting to determine if they have to operate on him or not", he added with great sadness. So much has been the concern of the little one, that "he no longer goes to the bathroom alone, he always has to go accompanied", he acknowledges.
In addition, his other three children are also suffering. "They don't sleep and have been with fever", he stressed. They keep repeating that "we don't want to sleep on the street" and "we want to stay and live in the houses we have fixed", he points out. A widespread concern among all the neighbors. "We are scared to death, desperate and crying", since we know the soon outcome.
One of the issues that the construction company alleges to kick out these neighbors is that "the houses are about to fall down", they have reported. Something that they question, since, according to their version, "no architect has come to review any of the houses". They recognize that "they are habitable and are not about to fall down".
According to what the neighbors have informed La Voz, "they have managed to postpone the eviction until January 3", their lawyer communicated to them this Monday morning. A postponement that they have achieved thanks to their insistence and the pressure of the media that have been open to bring the story to light.
Now, they have to look for a new home and "be aware of the trial that will be held before that date", pointed out one of the neighbors.