Business

Spaniards hope for eviction reprieve amid crisis

By alan-clendenning
Published December 10, 2012 8:10pm ET
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Spaniards hope for eviction reprieve amid crisis
FILE In this Nov. 19, 2012 file photo, 45-year old office manager Irene Gonzalez of Spain, left waits with a friend, to be evicted from her home in Madrid. Irene Gonzalez is a domestic violence victim, works half-time because of layoffs at her air conditioning employer and is a single mother caring for her two children at the small apartment she and her ex-husband bought during Spainís economic boom years. These factors that should prevent her from being kicked out under a new Spanish decree aimed at protecting the needy from being made homeless after at least two economically desperate Spaniards facing eviction committed suicide. Even if Gonzalez manages to stay in her home for a few more years, she still faces debt in unpaid mortgage principle, court fees and interest totaling close to euro140,000 that she and her ex-husband will owe for the rest of their lives. If they don't pay it off, their children inherit it. After putting in place the decree, Spain is now under increasing pressure to come up with a first-of-its kind insolvency law for the country that would allow mortgage debtors to turn in their keys and face limited liability. (AP Photo/Paul White, File) | Paul White

MADRID (AP) — Irene Gonzalez is desperately waiting to hear if she’ll benefit from an emergency government decree that protects Spaniards such as her from being evicted for failing to make their mortgage payments.

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