The mayor of Arona, Fátima Lemes, released a statement on Friday stating that families with minors who were evicted from an unstable building in Costa del Silencio on Tuesday due to the risk of collapse were offered housing alternatives through municipal social services.
“As part of the actions taken by the City Council, we made sure that no child was left homeless. Therefore, any minor found in the area at the time of eviction was a decision made by their family,” she emphasized.
Lemes explained that the eviction was carried out in compliance with a court order due to the structural risks of the property, which posed a threat to the lives of its occupants. Since February 6, efforts had been made to find a solution for those affected.
She expressed regret that a urban planning report dating back to 2021 was not shared with Social Services, hindering early engagement with residents. Nevertheless, the Social Services department worked on profiling vulnerable cases, identifying them, and activating emergency assistance where necessary.
The mayor acknowledged the challenges posed by the peak tourist season, leading to a scarcity of available accommodation options for those affected.
Efforts were made to reach out to the Ashotel employers’ association, the Government Subdelegation, the Canarian Housing Institute, and the Tenerife Council through the Minors and Dependency departments of the IASS to urgently secure resources.
The General Directorate for Minors of the Canary Islands Government and the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office were also informed of the situation.
Lemes recognized the “difficult circumstances” faced by many residents of the municipality and the island, as evidenced by the ‘Chasna Building’ where socially vulnerable individuals resided and others unable to access housing due to high costs and limited rental availability.
