Adeje Awaits Crucial Decision on Strained Housing Zone Status
The Adeje Town Council is currently in a holding pattern, waiting for the Canary Islands Government to respond to its formal request to be declared a “strained zone.” This legal mechanism, enabled by the national government, is designed to combat housing shortages and exorbitant rental prices. The municipal administration confirms it completed the required procedure shortly after a plenary agreement was adopted back in April of last year.
Political Backing and Proposed Measures
On April 3, 2024, the Adeje plenary session agreed to ask the Canary Islands Government to conduct the necessary studies and officially declare Adeje a strained residential market area. The proposal received broad political support, being backed by the PSOE (the governing group and proponent), CC, PP, and Unidas Podemos, with only Vox voting against it. This plenary decision forms the foundation for developing further measures aimed at tackling the municipality’s severe lack of rental housing.
Conditions for a Strained Zone Declaration
For Adeje to be officially designated a strained zone, it must meet specific socioeconomic conditions and parameters. These include a situation where residents are spending 30% or more of their income on housing, or where the price of purchasing or renting a property has increased by more than three points above the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over the previous five years. The law also allows for this study to be conducted by specific zones or population centres within the municipality itself, allowing for a more targeted approach.
Voluntary Incentives and a Worsening Crisis
While Adeje awaits the regional government’s decision, it continues to work on complementary issues. The municipal government has pointed out that neither the law nor the strained zone declaration makes it mandatory for property owners to apply the new regulations. Instead, the system is incentive-based, offering potential tax benefits that could reach up to 90% on income tax declarations for those who participate. In the year and a half that has passed since Adeje initially adopted the plenary agreement, the housing crisis in the municipality has only intensified, adding urgency to the council’s request.
