In Empordà, a young couple is still looking for a rental home after more than a year of searching, despite both having permanent jobs and steady incomes. Their case reflects the pressure many tenants face across Catalonia.
Aicha Tarik Gascón, 20, works as a socio-health worker in a residence in Castelló d'Empúries. Her 27-year-old partner works in the services sector in Empuriabrava. They want to build a life together, but have not yet found a place they can rent.
“We are not looking for luxury. We just want a place to live,” Ms Tarik Gascón told reporters.
Their experience highlights the wider housing problem in the Empordà area, where affordable rental homes are increasingly hard to find. Even people who meet common landlord requirements, including stable employment, can struggle to secure a tenancy.
For more local coverage, see our news page. Readers can also follow official housing information from the Catalan Government housing department and the National Statistics Institute.