Casa Orsola

Casa Orsola, located at number 14 of Sant Agustí street in the Gràcia neighborhood of Barcelona, is a building at the center of a controversy involving tenant evictions and plans to convert it into a 'coliving' space. The building was purchased by New Amsterdam Developers (NAD), a Dutch investment fund, which intends to divide the existing apartments into smaller units for coliving. This has led to resistance from residents and local housing collectives, culminating in protests against the eviction of Txema Escorsa, a tenant in the building. The planned eviction, initially scheduled for March 2026, was postponed due to safety concerns amid large public gatherings. The Barcelona City Council has intervened, urging NAD to halt the eviction. The situation is reminiscent of similar housing conflicts in 2024, highlighting concerns about investment funds driving up housing costs and displacing long-term residents in Barcelona.