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Spain: How an ex-dancer is taking on squatters

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November 8, 2025

Angela Mendoza used to be a flamenco dancer. Now, she works as an eviction expert, returning occupied homes to their rightful owners.

Spain is in the grip of a massive housing crisis and unauthorized settling sharply on the rise. Angela Mendoza has found an unconventional way to return apartments back to the their owners. Mendoza used to be a flamenco dancer, but the pandemic and personal setbacks forced her to start over. She hired a group of strong young men and launched her own security firm. Its specialty: Removing squatters and non-paying tenants from apartments all across Spain.

Angela and her team have already returned hundreds of properties to their owners. She's developed her own psychological approach — a mix of firm pressure and empathetic negotiation. Business is booming. Last year alone, Spain recorded nearly 20,000 illegal occupations, and the number keeps climbing. Courts are overwhelmed, and obtaining an official eviction order can take years. But Mendoza's work is divisive. Critics accuse her of serving the interests of wealthy investors and landlords at a time when many people in Spain are unable to secure housing for reasons beyond their control.

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