The City Council of Granadilla de Abona has identified the creation of new homes and the reduction of rental prices in the municipality as a top priority. This decision comes in response to the significant population growth in Tenerife in recent years, aiming to address what the mayor described as the “decade’s drama,” as reported by Jennifer Miranda on Onda Tenerife.
Being the first local authority in the South and the second on the island (after La Orotava) to unanimously propose to the government the designation of a stressed residential market area, the coalition government (comprised of PSOE and PP) is pushing for proactive solutions to combat the escalating housing crisis, marked by soaring rental and purchasing costs.
The City Council has laid out an ambitious strategy for its term, focusing on four key initiatives, one of which entails repurposing thirty unfinished buildings, primarily located in San Isidro and its vicinity.
The initial stage involves the transfer of over 3,000 square meters of land to the Canary Housing Institute for the construction of public housing, a process that has already been completed. The responsibility now rests with the Canary Islands Government to develop projects for these plots and oversee the construction.
The second phase was set in motion two months ago with the signing of an agreement with a company to finalise the urbanisation and construction of two project units in Los Hinojeros.
“Through this breakthrough, we are ensuring the completion of 294 homes, already designated for public use, in the town centre. Once finalised, these homes will be priced at a regulated rate,” explained Jennifer Miranda. She views this initiative as a significant step forward, not only in providing nearly 300 homes to the market but also in giving a substantial boost to the middle class in the South, who have typically been sidelined in favour of coastal areas.
The third element of the strategy involves repaying the loan from Sermugran, a public entity in Granadilla that owns 70 properties in San Isidro. This move aims to stabilise prices to more reasonable levels and make ten vacant apartments available for affordable rent, approximately between 350 and 400 euros. The application process for these properties will be opened in the upcoming weeks.
However, the most pioneering aspect of the plan to enhance the social housing market is the expropriation of up to 30 unfinished buildings – remnants primarily from the 2008 crisis – transforming them into public homes. This groundbreaking measure is unprecedented in the Canary Islands and possibly nationwide, according to the socialist mayor.
“Leveraging the standard obligations of developers and landowners, as well as the mechanism of forced expropriation, our goal is to hold the owners accountable for completing these structures based on their original permits,” pointed out the councillor.
VARYING TIMELINES
Each building will be granted different deadlines according to its construction progress. Those at an advanced stage may have around 12 months to finish, while buildings with less development will be given more time.
Once the designated time frames have lapsed, a selection process will determine which buildings qualify for further construction intervention based on set criteria. The aim is to make more affordable housing options available to Granadilla residents within an estimated three-year timeframe. “This will be a phased, medium-term process aligned with budget constraints, which is why our strategy includes the other three key elements,” Miranda affirmed.
