As Fuerteventura continues to attract investors, the housing crisis on the island remains a prominent concern.
The Popular Party (PP) has criticized the Fuerteventura Cabildo for what it describes as “inaction” on housing issues, contrasting it with the proactive measures taken by other island administrations. The PP asserts that the Cabildo is merely collaborating on initiatives led by other entities instead of taking the lead in developing housing solutions.
Currently, the Cabildo owns several plots of land that are eligible for developing housing projects, yet the PP argues that local officials have failed to act on this potential. The party highlights that rental prices have surged by 50% since 2019, emphasizing that housing affordability is the primary concern for residents. They express confusion over why the Fuerteventura Council has not implemented its own measures, similar to the proactive steps taken by councils in Tenerife and Gran Canaria following the recent approval of Decree-Law 1/2024. This law allows councils to take on housing responsibilities more aggressively.
Claudio Gutiérrez, the PP spokesperson at the Cabildo, expresses frustration over the lack of initiative and coordination from the local government. He states that there is insufficient clarity regarding which municipalities are making land available for public housing initiatives, suggesting that the Council should be taking a leading role in this effort.
In contrast, the Tenerife Cabildo has been actively pursuing a comprehensive housing strategy since 2024. This strategy includes three main components: “Activa Suelo,” aimed at purchasing plots for public housing in smaller municipalities; “Activa Housing 2024,” which offers subsidies to councils for acquiring or developing housing for social rental; and the Insular Housing Rehabilitation Program (PIRV), providing direct financial assistance to improve living conditions for low-income families.
In Gran Canaria, the Insular Housing Consortium centralizes management of housing subsidies and promotes the development of public housing, which further emphasizes the inaction of the Fuerteventura Cabildo.
In response to these challenges, the Popular Party proposes the “Vive Fuerteventura Plan,” which seeks to declare a housing emergency on the island and streamline administrative processes for public housing projects. The plan also advocates for the use of land already owned by the Cabildo for the construction of social housing.
The PP underscores that the construction of affordable housing in Fuerteventura is not only feasible but also urgently needed, stressing that the primary barrier lies in a lack of political will among local leaders.
Image credit: www.canarias7.es
Source: www.canarias7.es.
Curated by Fuerteventura Times Real Estate Desk.
