Canarias Tiene un Límite has responded to Coalición Canaria's announcement of including the possibility of limiting the purchase of housing to non-residents. The group states that the announcement "falls short" and demands more measures against speculation, empty homes, and vacation homes.
"Europe's playground and retirement home"
Canarias Tiene un Límite has demanded that the purchase limitation be specified in an objective and verifiable requirement: a minimum of years (5-10 years) of legal, effective, and continuous residence in the Canary Islands to be able to acquire housing. "A convenient registration of residence or easily circumvented figures are not enough," the group highlighted in a statement. At the same time, they added that "without a minimum period of demonstrable residence, the measure will be a dead letter and the market will find a way to circumvent it". "The Canary Islands cannot be Europe's playground and retirement home," they added.
On the other hand, they have flatly rejected "administrative silence for construction licenses" and have pointed out that the development measures approved so far, such as streamlining licenses and enabling the RIC for housing construction by companies. "There is no shortage of housing in the Canary Islands. The problem is that it is in the wrong hands," they denounced.
Canarias Tiene un Límite has recalled that the Canary Islands is a land of emigration. Thousands of Canary Islanders had to leave for Venezuela, Cuba, Uruguay, Argentina, the Peninsula, or Europe, and today young people are still leaving, expelled by impossible rents. "Any limitation must expressly safeguard the right of return for emigrated Canary Islanders and their descendants, so that no regulation against speculation becomes a barrier for those who have the right to return to their land," they added.
They have also rejected that the debate be reduced to limitation by non-residents or foreign individuals and therefore have demanded structural measures of a permanent nature that attack the origin of the problem:
- Prohibit the purchase of housing by legal entities: companies, investment funds, vulture funds, and holding companies, regardless of whether they are foreign or Spanish, except for public and non-profit entities dedicated to social or collective housing. The housing stock currently held by companies and other funds must progressively and permanently pass to the public housing stock.
- Measures to significantly reduce tourist homes. In the Canary Islands, there are still around 70,000 homes intended for tourist use when there are people without homes. There must be inspection plans on the legality of these homes and their closure in case of non-compliance.
Tourist homes are expelling residents
Tourist homes have expelled residents from entire neighborhoods and towns. Canarias Tiene un Límite has demanded a total moratorium on new registrations, a ban in residential buildings and in stressed areas, the non-renewal of authorizations, the progressive return of these homes to residential use, and real inspection of platforms that market illegal offerings.
The regulations approved so far have been, in the group's opinion, "lukewarm, full of exceptions, and designed not to disturb business."
Measures against empty homes
- Measures against empty homes. Measures to facilitate the transition of these homes to rental. Currently, there are more than 200,000 unused homes in the Canary Islands.
"It is unacceptable that, while thousands of Canarian families cannot afford rent, there are closed homes waiting to be revalued," added Canarias tiene un límite. "The group demands a mandatory registry of empty homes, maximum and progressive tax surcharges, effective sanctions, and the mandatory mobilization of empty homes owned by large holders to affordable rental," they added.
"The housing crisis cannot be resolved by attacking a single problem. Limiting purchases to non-residents, while maintaining unlimited tourism growth, tolerating empty homes, and shielding vacation rentals is insufficient," they denounced. "The housing crisis is the direct consequence of a model that exceeds the limits of the territory and the population that inhabits it," they added.
Canarias Has a Limit has demanded from the Government of the Canary Islands severe, coordinated, and simultaneous legislation on all fronts: purchase by non-resident foreigners, speculation, empty housing, holiday housing, and tourist growth.
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