The Court of Instruction number 1 in Santa Cruz has mandated that all squatters inhabiting the 24th Housing on El Greeting street, located in the El Toscal neighbourhood, vacate the premises within a period not exceeding 30 days. Furthermore, a fine of €180 has been imposed on two of the unlawful occupants for the unauthorised occupation of the property.
This judicial ruling, reached yesterday during a conciliatory meeting between the legal representative of the property and several of the residents, follows a swift trial during which the judge issued a verdict.
Neighbourhood representative, Carlos Jiménez, articulated to Diario de Noticias yesterday that “this decision marks progress that we hope will restore peace to the community, as we have been plagued by fear and insecurity due to protests from neighbours outside the house, where loud music was played late into the night.”
Jiménez expressed that “we would have preferred a more expedited timeline for the eviction, but at least this is a step towards restoring normality in El Toscal and removing these individuals, especially since there are now more than eight, including those displaced from the other property offered in the Second Ravina passage.”
He also recollected that “The Housing of El Greeting has remained unoccupied since the flood in 2022, and as a result, its infrastructure is compromised and does not meet basic health standards. The fact that these individuals are residing there, illegally, poses an additional risk.”
Jiménez further noted that once the squatters vacate the property, the owner intends to secure it to prevent further incursions. “If it is not fenced off, we as neighbours will take measures to ensure that no new individuals enter, as they merely disrupt community harmony, which has reached unbearable levels.”
