Neighbourhood activism in the housing crisis
The 2008 financial crisis redefined housing markets across Europe, leading to urban displacement and many evictions. Countries like Ireland and Spain were among the most affected. In Spain alone, more than 415 000 foreclosures between 2008 and 2014 led to over 244 000 evictions, according to data from the Consejo General del Poder Judicial(opens in new window) (Spain’s Judicial Council). Montserrat Emperador Badimon, principal investigator of the NOMAD-Outcome(opens in new window) project, highlights that this trend is part of a larger shift: the financialisation of housing. Instead of being valued primarily as places to live, homes increasingly became speculative assets. “This is aggravating the housing insecurity of vulnerable populations – low-income families, women and minorities – but also of middle-income families increasingly priced out of their neighbourhoods,” she explains. In this scenario, NOMAD-Outcome, undertaken with the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions(opens in new window) programme, set out to study the efforts and outcomes of three different neighbourhood-based mobilisations against displacement.
The power of neighbourhood activism
The project focused on the neighbourhoods of Parc-Extension in Montréal, Poble Sec in Barcelona and La Guillotière in Lyon. All three concentrate higher-than-average shares of low-income and migrant residents, while also being targeted for lucrative real estate operations such as housing upscaling and rising rents. “These dynamics are leading to the replacement of vulnerable tenants by wealthier residents,” says Emperador Badimon. In the three neighbourhoods, residents facing housing insecurity organised their own local movements, which developed differently depending on the local activist scene and the city’s political and institutional context. Through fieldwork, analysis and ethnography, NOMAD-Outcome revealed the major role neighbourhood-based housing groups play in defining the neighbourhood itself. “Through struggles for housing justice, collective action fosters collective neighbourhood identities, strengthens residents’ attachment to the places they live and stimulates feelings of solidarity,” she emphasises. Project work has also shown that housing struggles are closely connected to other social issues. Neighbourhood activism often goes hand in hand with efforts against racist and sexist discrimination. Shared experiences of a place and the fact of living close to one another create a common ground that helps residents build broad, cross-group coalitions.
Tangible wins and long-term impact
Across the three cities, activists have secured meaningful outcomes, such as improved tenant regulations, prevention of speculative operations and cases where vulnerable residents were able to remain in their homes. “These are important outcomes, albeit not structural ones,” notes Emperador Badimon, reflecting the scale at which neighbourhood groups operate. Yet, their influence extends beyond local victories. By participating in broader campaigns, they contribute to potential structural change. Their work also generates significant emotional benefits, with participants developing “strong emotional bonds with others and with their local area, as well as a sense of collective political efficacy.” NOMAD-Outcome also created an oral history archive featuring filmed interviews and written testimonies documenting the stories of neighbourhood struggles. These resources are aimed at supporting activist groups and anyone interested in urban social movements. Looking beyond the project’s insights, the researcher offers a clear message for European cities: “In a world of intensifying tourism, global mobility and speculative investment, it is crucial to adopt measures that limit the speculative use of housing and guarantee the primacy of its use value.”
