[ilikeitdark]

When I moved here to Barcelona, it seemed like many "squats" were punk and artist taking over unused or abandoned large spaces. Many we even open to the public and had events, and some were even part of the local community. Nowadays it's more often drug addicts and criminals and mafias taking over uninhibited homes (even when people are on vacation), who terrorize the neighborhoods.

[taopai]

Some people used to say that touristic companies promoted this to lower prices and buy cheap to remodel whole neighborhoods.

Like Raval. Some German companies had bought whole buildings and know they rent their flats, or even worst, rooms in flats with locks. This is crazy.

I've been in such a place, in the heart of Raval, full of drug addicts, and filth enter to a place remodeled inside with small rooms who "expats" pay a lot, A LOT. It's crazy.