This research takes its point of departure in the context of an increased difficulty to access to affordable housing as well as high level of commodification of housing and urban space due to imperative forces of neoliberalism. Therefore, using the effects of neoliberalism as an analytical lens with which to examine contemporary urban and community struggles to access to affordable housing allows to enlighten how neoliberalism is affecting the right to the city.
Spain is a relevant example to study as while neoliberalism was being set up in the western countries, Spain was facing a dictatorship period that led to a retarded instauration of neoliberal policies. Consequently, it is relevant to study the link between the political history of Spain and the historical shortfall of social housing.
The research is conducted through three different analyses. The first analysis shows how neoliberalism has shaped the policies as well as the provision of housing in Spain, revealing five neoliberal different trends like the promotion of homeownership, the easy access to credit, the decentralization of the state and promoting housing expansion policies to overcome the crisis considering housing as an investment. The second analysis exposes the neoliberal signs in the development of two case studies, Diagonal Mar and 22@ and how these signs affected the provision of social housing. The analysis reveals that even though both developments are influenced by neoliberal trends and Diagonal Mar has no social housing, thanks to the local associations’ involvement, the provision of social housing could be improved in 22@. The third analysis, takes into account the previous analyses focusing on the rationales that have challenged the right to the city through the housing perspective. The outcome shows that the right to the city is challenged through two different levels of rationales, from endogenous rationales – the one attached to the historical institutional and regulatory framework and endogenous rationales – related to the case-context.