Beyond Restrictions: A Multi-Pronged Attack on the Housing Crisis
The Canary Islands’ proposal to modify the Local Government Law goes far beyond simply enabling town councils to create hurdles for non-resident foreigners wanting to buy property, as initially announced by President Fernando Clavijo. Drawing inspiration from measures implemented in cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam, and Bilbao, the Minister of Housing, Pablo Rodríguez, together with the Canarian Federation of Municipalities (Fecam), is preparing a comprehensive proposal. This plan, to be presented to the central government, aims to introduce fiscal measures that would penalize owners who keep homes vacant while rewarding those who place them into the affordable rental market.
Parliamentary Debate Highlights Urgent Need for Tools
President Clavijo confirmed this strategy during a parliamentary session, stating that other EU countries empower their municipalities with greater fiscal and patrimonial competencies to regulate housing access. David Toledo, leader of the Nationalist Group, who prompted the discussion, insisted that an autonomous community like the Canaries—which declared a housing emergency a year ago—has more than enough reason to provide town councils with tools to limit house purchases by non-residents. The goal is to bring a significant stock of empty properties onto the market.
Boosting Supply with New Protected Housing
The housing shortage was a central topic in Parliament. Vice President Manuel Domínguez responded to questions by highlighting the government’s efforts to increase supply. He reported that while only 208 protected (subsidized) homes were built in the previous legislative term, the current government has already built 2,200 with another 2,100 planned. “This will increase supply, balance demand, and help bring prices down. Our goal is to reach 10,000 homes per year by combining public and private sector efforts,” Domínguez stated.
Clash over Jurisdiction on Tourist Apartments
A final point of contention was the regulation of tourist accommodation. Councillor Jéssica de León asserted that the Spanish government lacks the authority to remove properties from the tourist market, as jurisdiction over land use, urban planning, and tourism lies with the autonomous communities. Displaying a list of what the state claims are 8,698 illegal holiday homes withdrawn from the market in the Canaries (53,000 across Spain), de León insisted that “not a single property has been removed from the tourist market.” She concluded, “With this communication from the Ministry, sent in response to a specific query from this department, the state is admitting that it has not closed down any homes nor incorporated any into the residential market.”
