Lanzarote’s Cabildo has voted against declaring the island a “residential market zone of tension”, under the Spanish Government’s housing law. Such a declaration would have given the island powers to introduce policies such as rent controls.
The Cabildo’s ruling group, composed of members of the Coalición Canaria and the Partido Pôpular, rejected a Socialist proposal to apply the provision. Housing councillor Miguel Ángel Jiménez said, “The policy was applied in Barcelona and had a contrary effect, causing rents to rise.”
He claimed there were “other options” available to tackle the housing crisis, and mentioned the Canarian housing law which will make it easier for private constructors to build social housing and reclaim rural land for building purposes.
Socialist councillor Ariagona González accused the Cabildo of ignoring the plight of the poorest families on the island, “who will be unable to afford a home.”
Nueva Canarias councillor Daisy Villalba Perdomo said “Our young people have done what we asked them to do. They’ve studied, worked hard, and returned to the island” only to find there is nowhere to live.
She called for a ban on the sale of property to non-resident foreigners.
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