Yesterday, the La Orotava City Council Plenary Session approved a motion from the La Orotava Assembly group urging the Government of the Canary Islands to conduct a survey of vacant properties and ongoing developments in the municipality. The objective is to identify them and make them available on the market as soon as possible, addressing the housing crisis in the Archipelago.
As part of the initiative, there will be a collaboration with the public company Visocan to repurpose unfinished real estate projects and enhance the availability of social rental housing in the municipality.
“We currently lack data on the number of vacant properties in La Orotava, which is why we see the importance of conducting a thorough assessment,” stated Aida Salazar, spokesperson for the group.
The information from the housing survey, provided by the Director General of the Canarian Housing Institute (ICAVI) as of July 3, 2023, reveals 14,645 properties, while Visocan has 6,050 properties on record.
In terms of the demand for affordable housing, data from the Canary Housing Institute indicates that as of July 31, 2023, there were 25,159 individuals registered in the Public Registry of Protected Housing Claimants. However, only 112 families were allocated housing between the year 2000 and December 31, 2022.
Due to this situation, there is a pressing need for a specific assessment in the municipality to empower the City Council to implement necessary measures.
Maria Jesus Alonso, spokesperson for PSOE, echoed the importance of each administration contributing towards alleviating the current housing crisis, with some municipalities already setting a positive example.
Although the PP representative, Ildefonso Gonzalez, acknowledged the efforts of the Government of the Canary Islands, he supported the motion and proposed an amendment to push for expedited action in collaboration with the City Council.
Belen Gonzalez, the Housing councillor, also weighed in, stating, “The Canary Islands Government is operating within its jurisdiction and is aware that a diagnostic report is being prepared for the municipal plan.”
Aida Salazar mentioned that a regional plan is in progress, but emphasized that immediate solutions are crucial. “It is imperative that the municipal government identifies vacant properties as investment funds are acquiring them for tourism, depriving residents of housing,” she concluded.