The Council of Tenerife throw one aid line of one million euros so that the islanders can rehabilitate their homes, especially people in situations of social vulnerability. To this end, the Island Corporation approved in the Governing Council the Island Housing Rehabilitation Program 2022, whose distribution will be carried out in accordance with the criteria of the Canarian Federation of Municipalities (Fecam). Although the individual amount for homeowners will have a limit of 10,000 euros, in exceptional cases of extreme need that are justified, the aid may be increased up to 20,000 euros.
Through this program it will be possible to finance those works that include the total or partial improvement of the accessibility conditions of a home and that guarantee its safety, such as the reinforcement or replacement of structural elements and the adaptation to the regulations of facilities such as those of the water, gas, electricity or fire protection. Tenerife city councils will be in charge of distributing this direct aid among those owners who do not have sufficient economic resources and whose homes are not in minimum habitability or accessibility conditions.
New this year, it has been agreed to halve the municipal contribution, taking into account the economic difficulties derived from the pandemic that municipalities are going through. Pedro Martín, president of the Tenerife Cabildo, assured in this regard that “not only do we collaborate with all the municipalities of the Island in terms of housing, but we also increase the percentage that the Cabildo contributes to the program to provide facilities to the municipalities”. In this way, municipalities with less than 20,000 inhabitants will only assume 5% of the costs (previously 10%); those between 20,000 and 50,000 inhabitants, 10% (previously 20%); and those of more than 50,000, 25% (previously 50%).
Pedro Martín details that with this program “we continue to strengthen our collaboration with all municipalities.” «It is aimed fundamentally at the population with fewer economic resources, to help homes meet minimum conditions of habitability, safety and accessibility. As we have done in other areas, once again, we deliver the money to the municipalities so that they are the ones that directly manage the aid with their neighbors, “said the island president.
The island councilor for Municipal Cooperation and Housing, Zebenzuí Chinea, explains that the program establishes as preferential criteria for the distribution both the socioeconomic situation of the beneficiaries and the state of conservation of the properties, “prioritizing those that are in worse situation in relation to both aspects.
Zebenzuí Chinea advances that «with the objective of giving greater flexibility to the municipalities so that they can finalize the projects, an execution period of 18 months has been established”, which may be extended if the local corporations so request. “This will facilitate the management and execution of both the municipal services and the people who are beneficiaries of these aids.”
