The Comuns and CUP parliamentary groups, alongside housing unions, have today, Thursday 22nd October 2026, pressed the Generalitat, the Catalan government, to find an urgent and stable residential solution for a family from Badalona. The family, which includes two children with disabilities and serious illnesses, was evicted in November last year and has since relied on temporary housing solutions.
Their current stay at a Barcelona hostel is due to end on Friday 30th October. However, the family has been informed this date could be brought forward to Monday 26th October, as they have exceeded the maximum allocated funds for such cases.
Family's Challenging Journey
Omar Ayaou, one of the sons, spoke at a press conference in the Catalan Parliament, explaining their eviction on 5th November last year. Initially, Badalona's social services directed them to the Barcelona Emergency and Social Emergencies Center (CUESB) for a single night. For the following two months, the family resided in various towns, including El Masnou, Mataró, and Tarragona, often sharing flats, rooms, or sleeping in their car.
On 18th May, they were relocated to a Barcelona hostel, requiring monthly extensions from social services. Omar, 18, who uses a wheelchair, stated that his health has deteriorated due to their unstable living conditions. He requires refrigerated medication, nightly mechanical ventilation, daily physiotherapy, and frequent visits to Vall d'Hebron Hospital.
His younger brother, Zakaria, 9, is in a more critical condition, recently fracturing his femur after falling from a bunk bed and currently having his leg in a cast. The family, of Maghrebi origin, also includes their mother, who has a disability.
Government's Response and Broader Concerns
Government sources have confirmed that "a temporary housing solution has been found to address the family's emergency situation." They added that various administrations are "continuously working in a coordinated manner to identify a stable housing alternative," with the primary aim of ensuring the family's protection and comprehensive care.
Ferran Aguiló from the Sants Housing Group (GHAS) and Irene Macaya from GHAS and the healthcare collective Capçalera, highlighted that this family's situation is not isolated. They reported identifying 36 other cases in five Barcelona metropolitan area hospitals where minors receiving palliative care also face housing insecurity. Many of these children require stable environments, access to electricity for vital devices, and refrigerated medication.
Irene Macaya warned: "Every time a medical treatment is interrupted or not followed correctly, Omar and Zakaria, like other minors with disabilities, suffer irreversible damage."
With the support of the Comuns and CUP, the housing groups have announced that the family will not vacate their current accommodation on 30th October unless the temporary solution offered by the authorities is equivalent to or better than their current hostel.
Political Demands
Andrés García Berrio, a Comuns deputy, and Pilar Castillejo, a CUP deputy, have expressed their solidarity with the family. They have requested a joint appearance in the Catalan Parliament from Olga Pané, the Minister of Health, and Raúl Moreno, the Minister of Social Rights, to provide explanations on the matter. Both deputies criticised Xavier García Albiol, the Mayor of Badalona, for the municipal social services' failure to offer a stable residential alternative to the family over the past year.
Sources: El Periódico.
