Editorial photo #1861604 Social Issue

Barcelona Local Residents Decreasing

Remains of images of Barcelona local residents are seen hanging next to the historic city wall in the Gothic Quarter on 24 March, 2017. Two years ago families of the neighborhood public school (Escola Angel Baixeras-Ciutat Vella) had made a giant mural with pictures of local people, based on the Inside Out project, demanding a playground for children next to the school building. Tourism pressure and the recent bubble in the rental market has led to a gradual expulsion of neighbors. In some areas of districts like the Dreta Eixample, the number of tourist accommodation places is three times the resident population and areas such as Gothic Quarter have lost nearly half of the population in the last decade, from 27,470 to 15,484 residents. (Photo by Jordi Boixareu/NurPhoto)