The Parliament of the Canary Islands has rejected by majority this Wednesday the PSOE's proposal to create a register of large property holders on the islands, where there are "at least 104,417 properties" belonging to individuals with more than five properties and more than "77,613 properties" in the hands of legal entities, which represents "around 10% of all homes.
This data appears in the bill presented by the PSOE to promote the right to housing in the Canary Islands through the regulation of large property holders and fiscal rebalancing, which proposed establishing a Registry of Large Property Holders of Housing for the first time in the islands and expanding the regional administration's pre-emption and redemption rights over their sales operations.
Rejected by all groups supporting the Canary Islands Government
This proposal has been rejected by the groups supporting the Government, Coalición Canaria, Partido Popular, Agrupación Socialista Gomera, Agrupación Herreña Independiente, and also by Vox, who consider that it only increases bureaucracy and, ultimately, does not solve the housing problem in the Canary Islands.
The PSOE deputy Sebastián Franquis argued in the plenary session of Parliament that the concentration of housing in these agents, along with the increase in prices and tourist and residential demand, makes it necessary to create the registry and adopt measures that allow for information to be available and strengthen the administration's instruments to expand public housing.In its bill, a large landlord was defined as any natural or legal person owning **more than ten homes or more than 1,500 square meters** of built-up housing, excluding garages and storage rooms, and also those who own **five** or more homes in areas declared as **stressed residential markets**.
According to the PSOE, four people concentrate "620 properties" and 73 companies gather "more than 19,384 homes".
The text, which has only been supported by Nueva Canarias, establishes that all housing transmissions made by large holders, whether registered or not, will be subject to rights of pre-emption and redemption by the regional Administration, including cases of sales of social participations representing more than 25% of the capital of entities that meet the condition of large holder.
In case of exercising the right of acquisition, the homes will become part of the public housing stockLikewise, the proposal includes a **tax rate of 20%** on the Property Transfer Tax for acquisitions made by large holders, for transfers of entire buildings, and for homes intended or to be intended for vacation rentals, with the exception of protected housing or residential rentals maintained for fifteen years.
For the PSOE, the creation of a registry of large property holders is "essential"
Franquis has insisted that the creation of a registry of large property holders is "essential" due to the price increases that are occurring, which is why the PSOE, with this proposal, wants to **know how many homes are in their hands and in which municipalities and islands**"It's not an occurrence, it's a necessity," stated the socialist, who explained that this proposal "only orders and regulates" and responds "to a social and moral mandate" with the aim that **living "is not a privilege but a right."**
The CC deputy Socorro Beato has pointed out that the PSOE's proposal is not based on rigorous analysis and that the registry of large property holders "only means more bureaucracy for the town councils" and has "no capacity" to address the housing problem.
"Let's not improvise with a law that is not supported by any legal report," Beato concluded, recalling that there are 2,500 public facilities currently under construction.
For the PP, Jennifer Curbelo has opined that "the recipe of intervention does not work", while demanding more legal certainty to be able to rent a house instead of "protecting squatters" as she said the PSOE does.
Paula Jover, from **Vox**, has criticized that the socialist bill is "a new punishment for private property, for investment, and for the most vulnerable Canary Islanders looking for a place to live" and that it intends to put "small family fortunes on a **blacklist**," turning them "into suspects."
From the Socialist Group of La Gomera, Melodie Mendoza has admitted that "although it is full of good intentions," the PSOE law does not guarantee better access to housing nor does it address this issue "with rigor and responsibility".
Raúl Acosta, from the Independent Herreña Group, has described the PSOE's initiative as "populist" and has asked this parliamentary group why they did not implement the registry of large property holders when they were in government.
Only Nueva Canarias has endorsed the PSOE's proposal, because, "what's the problem with knowing who the large holders are?" and added: "maybe it's you -referring to the groups that have not supported the law- or your friends".