Marinaleda

Marinaleda, a small village in Seville province, is drawing attention for its unusual housing model: monthly rent on municipally owned homes is capped at around 15 to 20 euros. Residents build their own houses with volunteer labour, and the town, long led by mayor Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo, remains a reference point in Spain for debates about affordable housing and alternative economic models.

Pilar Prieto, one of roughly 2,600 residents of Marinaleda in Seville province, Spain, pays less than 20 euros a month in rent and has done so for 33 years. The Andalusian village, long known for its cooperative housing model where residents build their own homes and pay symbolic rents, is being held up as a striking example in debates about affordable housing elsewhere in Spain and Europe.