Luis Campos (NC-BC) raises concerns about potential unconstitutionality, while Patricia Hernández (PSOE) dismisses it as a scheme that benefits developers.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 20 March (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Parliament of the Canary Islands has given its approval on Wednesday, with the backing of CC, PP, Vox, ASG and AHI, and the opposition of PSOE and NC-BC, to the Government’s decree of urgent measures in housing, which will not proceed as a draft law.
Pablo Rodríguez, Minister of Public Works, Transport and Housing of the Canary Islands Government, expressed the need for further action as the current housing plan for the Canary Islands is deemed “insufficient”, with only 2,000 homes scheduled.
He explained that the decree aims to introduce innovative measures such as facilitating land availability, constructing affordable housing, streamlining administrative processes, repurposing commercial spaces and offices into housing units, converting commercial buildings into habitable spaces, and completing unfinished constructions “without exceeding initial floor area limits”.
The Minister criticised the misinformation and partial truths spread by some opposition parties, clarifying that the decree does not infringe upon local autonomy or constitute a “coup d’état”, as supported by the Consultative Council and Fecam.
Nonetheless, he affirmed that this decree is not the final step in housing policy, with upcoming plans to address the issue of 20,000 vacant homes on the islands and to reinstate the ‘young mortgage’ scheme.
The aim is to incentivise the private sector to partake in public housing construction projects.
Patricia Hernández (PSOE) has cast doubt on Rodríguez’s statements, criticising the current Government for not initiating any new construction projects between 2015 and 2019, and questioning the effectiveness of the new decree in alleviating the housing crisis, particularly its failure to regulate prices, limit holiday rentals, or place empty homes on the market.
She suggested that the construction sector enthusiastically welcomes the new decree as it opens up avenues for profit, and she blamed the Ministry for inadequately analysing the situation. “The needs of the vulnerable are not a priority,” she remarked.
According to her, the Government is attempting to obscure existing laws and plans with ineffective measures that allow housing developments at the expense of public amenities, ultimately favouring the usual benefactors.
Raúl Acosta (AHI) expressed his group’s endorsement of the decree, highlighting the swift action taken to address housing challenges and emphasising the satisfaction of both councils and municipal authorities with the regulation, which provides for exceptional interventions.
“We must not delay this process,” he insisted, hence the opposition to it being handled as a bill.
Melodie Mendoza (ASG) stressed the importance of all parties contributing to the decree, which serves to relieve the “challenging situation” in the housing market caused by years of mismanagement.
She acknowledged that the decree had received approval from the Advisory Council despite some controversy over a private vote citing two unconstitutional clauses. Simultaneously, she criticised the lack of recognition for the efforts of the previous Government in formulating the housing plan.
VOX: INSUFFICIENT ACTION SO FAR
Paula Jover (Vox) deems it vital to ensure families’ access to adequate housing and calls for a reform in housing policy, pointing out the lack of substantial action despite a housing crisis in the archipelago.
She criticised the national housing regulations and their impact in the Canary Islands, acknowledging the opposition from the Fuerteventura Council but asserting that the decree does not violate the autonomy of local authorities.
The conservative representative expressed concerns that the emergency situation might persist as the decree neglects proper planning, while cautioning against repurposing commercial spaces for residential use in the long run.
Luis Campos, spokesman for NC-BC, emphasised that housing policy is paramount for the regional government, lauding the achievements of the ‘Flower Pact’ with a housing plan budgeted at 600 million Euros.
He argued against the need for increased home construction to prevent real estate speculation, accusing the Government of monopolising the debate without involving councils, municipalities, and citizens, and solely catering to the business sector within exclusive settings.
Campos critiqued the decree as a “development-centric” measure that bypasses planning regulations, focusing on acquiring new lands for construction without constraints or preliminary assessments.
According to Campos, the decree primarily benefits free housing over social housing, promoting densely populated neighbourhoods devoid of essential services, while failing to discourage holiday rentals by not prohibiting their use and exhibiting signs of unconstitutionality. “A step in the wrong direction,” he concluded.
Jennifer Curbelo (PP) highlighted the adverse aftermath of the ‘Flower Pact’, resulting in a high proportion of the population struggling with housing payments, coupled with an inadequate public housing supply which falls below 1%, contrasting with the European average of 9%.
She mentioned that the housing plan from the previous term was left unimplemented, calling it another falsehood of the Torres Government, necessitating the urgent decree as “there is no time to waste.”
CC FINDS NO BREACH OF POWERS
Javier Pérez Llamas from the Nationalist Group viewed the decree as timely as prices currently exceed levels during the ‘brick crisis’ of 2008 by 35%, with only a small number of public housing units delivered from the regional scheme.
He clarified that the decree does not encroach upon the authorities of councils and municipalities, claiming its constitutionality and endorsement by the Advisory Council due to the urgent need for interventions in the housing market.
