SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 27th May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Official College of Architects of Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro (COA) is arranging a seminar to discuss the legislation on ‘Urgent measures in housing matters scheduled for next Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. at the college premises.
The idea for this event emerged from the suggestion put forward by the COA during the meeting held last month between the Council of Architects of the Canary Islands, of which this association is a member, and the Department of Public Works of the Government of the Canary Islands.
The conference will be graced by the presence of the Minister of Public Works, Housing and Mobility of the Government of the Canary Islands, Pablo Rodríguez Valido, the director general of the Canary Islands Housing Institute of the Government of the Canary Islands, Antonio Ortega Rodríguez, and the coordinator and director of the editorial team for Decree Law 1/2024 concerning urgent measures in housing, Francisco Villar Rojas.
The discussion will be carried out under the supervision of the dedicated working group set up by the COA for analysing this directive.
Topics to be looked into include the utilization of endowment land for publicly promoted protected housing; the use of facilities for protected housing; the direct implementation for protected housing of general endowment systems designated to sections of developable land; the coexistence of residential and tourist uses on undeveloped land; the conversion of plots to residential use; the refurbishment of the current unfinished housing stock; the recovery of residential developable land, which, due to incompatibility with the current Land Law, had been reclassified as rural; the involvement of municipalities in the execution of the directive, or the potential incompatibilities that may arise with other regulations, such as those linked to the strategic environmental evaluation.
For the COA, this debate is “essential” considering the widespread uncertainties regarding the legal implementation of its content for both the union and the general populace.
Additionally, this session is intended to set an example of effective management and collaboration with the Department of Public Works with the aim of establishing future lines of cooperation where professional expertise is taken into account.
This was communicated by the head of the COA, Mari Nieves Febles, who highlighted the “dedication” shown by the working group in tackling such a crucial and intricate subject.
“Our goal is to address the aspects causing the most doubts and uncertainties. We recognize that both the sector and society at large are highly concerned about the housing situation, and we firmly believe that the COA is the appropriate forum to address this issue and provide clarity,” commented the head.
Likewise, the session on Wednesday will serve to illuminate the interaction between different laws and their impact on housing, whether at the regional or national level.
THE STRUGGLE FOR HOUSING ACCESS IN THE CANARY ISLANDS
The COA acknowledges that the housing challenge in the islands is of a “complex and multi-faceted” nature, necessitating the implementation of long-term policies based on the formulation of laws that address the actual housing needs of the population in terms of affordable accommodation, be it for rent, for individuals with average incomes, or for social housing for the most vulnerable segments of society.
This issue has been exacerbated with the emergence of the liberalised model of tourist utilisation of holiday homes, witnessing a growth of 38.5% between June 2023 and April 2024.
This surge, particularly in tourist regions, is leading to social and economic tensions, along with distorting the specific planning meant for these zones, notes the College in a statement.
The regulation of vacation homes is accompanied by Decree Law 1/2024, dated 19th February, on urgent measures in housing matters, recently sanctioned by the Government of the Canary Islands, which aims to streamline procedures and address, in an exceptional manner, the high demand for real estate in the archipelago, a step that, unlike the proposal for regulating holiday home usage, lacked a preceding consultation process.
“These consultation processes are essential for institutions like ours as they enable us to offer professional judgement on a sensitive issue such as housing. Since we do not have this opportunity in this particular scenario, and even though we are legally bound, during this event professionals will be able to voice their concerns,” mentioned the head of the institution.
With regards to holiday housing, urban planning for tourist use in residential buildings is imperative, where urban circumstances permit it, establishing a reconciliation model that prioritises housing access as mandated by the Constitution.
The objective of the Draft Law on Sustainable Planning of tourist housing use in the Canary Islands is to regulate its execution through urban planning, viewing holiday housing as a distinct economic activity, underscored by the COA.
INTERDEPARTMENTAL COOPERATION
Conversely, Decree Law 1/2024 on ‘Urgent measures in housing’, which was enforced last March, the proposal promotes urban planning as the linchpin for the appropriate coexistence of residential and tourist housing.
Hence, the COA deems the need for coordinated strategies among the various departments of the autonomous administration as “indisputable”.
“Encouraging this coordination among the different ministries is vital because the housing challenge is multifaceted, and only by approaching it from that vantage point can long-term planning be established that offers concrete solutions; otherwise, specific stop-gap measures will be implemented,” highlighted the head.
