The PSOE representative in Arona, José Julián Mena, appealed to the City Council on Monday to implement extraordinary steps to prevent the eviction of 90 families in Costa del Silencio, scheduled for the following day, and suggested options such as the expropriation or purchase of unfinished buildings.
José Julián Mena, who served as mayor of Arona in the previous term, presented these requests to the City Council ahead of the eviction of over 200 individuals scheduled for the next day, as reported by Canary Islands Now last Friday. He also proposed exploring initiatives similar to the one introduced by Granadilla de Abona municipality to expropriate or acquire incomplete buildings for social rental purposes.
Additionally, Mena urged the municipal governing coalition (comprising the Popular Party, Canarian Coalition, and More for Arona) to reconsider its rejection of declaring the municipality a distressed area concerning rent, given the “critical” situation arising from the impending evictions.
Mena criticised the lack of empathy shown by the government coalition and Mayor Fátima Lemes towards the plight of 90 families with dependent children facing the possibility of being homeless, while they voted against designating Arona as a distressed area despite the evident housing emergency.
The former mayor and spokesperson appealed to the tripartite to implement “urgent and exceptional measures with the Socialist Party’s support, aiming to alleviate the suffering of our neighbours.”
“The Socialist Party is committed to endorsing any measures the municipal government takes to enhance the well-being of our community, but we require proactive measures like those proposed, rather than turning a blind eye,” he explained.
José Julián Mena highlighted that other municipalities in the Canary Islands, such as Granadilla de Abona, are already considering “decisive actions for severe situations, like the expropriation or acquisition of long-abandoned buildings that can be repurposed to meet the needs of those who require them. We fully support such initiatives,” he added.
Mena pointed out that during the previous term, land was allocated to the Canary Islands Government in Arona for social housing construction, yet the situation in the southern region has deteriorated to the extent that conventional measures, which take years or even decades to materialize, are inadequate.
