Spain
State of Housing Rights in Spain
The Right to housing is guaranteed in the Spanish constitution (1978). Article 47 provides that one of the “guiding principles of social and economic policy” is the right of Spanish citizens to decent and adequate housing. These "guiding principles” do not receive the strong jurisdictional protection enshrined in the Constitution for "fundamental rights".
Criminalisation
Spanish law does not directly criminalize homelessness or begging in public places. Municipal ordinances may, however, criminalize homelessness, such as in Madrid. Barcelona also operates an ordinance that forbids homelessness or other organized forms of begging or public nuisance.
Partner(s)
Virginia Pastrana Herrera
Advocacy and Legal Analysis Team
Cáritas Española
C/ Embajadores, nº 162
28045 Madrid
