Na Burguesa: The squatter family must leave – but who takes responsibility?

Na Burguesa: The squatter family must leave – but who takes responsibility?

Key question: What good does it do to evict a family from an uninhabitable, long-empty building if there is no clear social support behind it?

In November 2025 parents with two children moved into the restaurant at the Na Burguesa viewpoint. The building belongs to the Diocese of Mallorca; according to files it had stood empty for a long time and is described by experts as uninhabitable. After months of investigations the case ended up in court: in September the mother admitted using the premises without permission and stated that the family had already left the property. The court imposed a fine on the family and ordered their eviction. The diocese announced that it intends to operate the building again as a restaurant; at the same time it said that it had offered the family alternative housing.

Critical analysis: On paper the scenario seems simple – private property versus squatting. In practice, however, law meets lived reality: people seek shelter, especially families with children. According to the available facts the Na Burguesa building is not suitable for permanent residence. Added to this: it stood unused for a long time while apparently not all public mechanisms moved quickly enough to address the family's situation differently. The punitive measure does not solve the underlying problem: vacant properties remain empty and people without a secure financial outlook remain searching.

What is missing from the public debate: First, there is little transparency about which concrete alternatives the diocese offered and whether these were immediately habitable. Second, there is no clear account of how the social services or other agencies secured childcare and school attendance during the occupation or immediately afterwards. Third, the question of how many comparable vacant properties there are on Mallorca and what data exists about their potential for use is neglected. Without this information the debate stays at the level of blame.

Everyday scene from Mallorca: Whoever walks the path up to Na Burguesa in the late afternoon knows the rustle of the pines, the sea of lights of Palma blinking far below and the group of walkers who keep their dogs on short leashes. There an older woman sits on a bench, feeds pigeons and shakes her head when she hears about the struggle over empty properties. For many residents the view is familiar, for some the place where a roof over one's head is desirable and yet out of reach.

Concrete solutions: 1) Obligation to be transparent: if owners claim to have offered alternatives, this should be documented showing which offers, when and with what status were made. 2) Vacant property register: a municipal list of long-term unused buildings enables targeted outreach and — if needed — interim uses by social organizations. 3) Mediation office for squatting cases: a neutral arbitration body can coordinate short-term emergency accommodation, renovation-needed interim solutions and agreed transition periods. 4) Children first: social services must take precedence in cases involving minors — school access, healthcare, psychosocial support. 5) Use conditions for charitable interim use: owners could receive tax incentives or surcharges if they temporarily make vacant properties available for social projects.

Pragmatically that means: those who enforce property rights should at the same time ensure that no one falls through the cracks. The diocese can open a restaurant — that is its right. But the administration and social organizations must ensure that families removed from such situations find firm, immediately available alternatives.

Pithy conclusion: A judgment that clears and punishes is legally sound — but emotionally often hollow if no one follows up. On Mallorca conflicts over vacancy and affordable housing are growing. Those who enjoy the view from Na Burguesa sometimes see not only the bay but also the conditions under which people live here. If we want to avoid similar cases in the future we need fewer symbolic operations and more structures that combine property and social responsibility.