Nueva Canarias-Bloque Canarista (NC-BC) will propose to the groups of Parliament, in the ordinary plenary session of this March, the approval of a new Canary Islands housing law that responds, "really", to the serious housing crisis in the archipelago and so that access to housing is "a subjective right that obliges the Government to provide housing or financial assistance." The parliamentary spokesperson on the matter, Carmen Hernández, explained that the non-legal proposition of the Canarista group offers nine lines of action such as the construction of endowment accommodations to provide a temporary response to the elderly, homeless, young people and vulnerable groups.
Carmen Hernández, together with the parliamentary spokesperson, Luis Campos, explained in a press conference the meaning and objective of the Non-Legal Proposition (PNL) to Promote the Approval of a new Housing Law in the Canary Islands in the face of the dimension of the crisis, both in the rental and purchase market, for vulnerable families, young people, workers and middle incomes
The Canarista deputy stated that the initiative arises from the need to provide a structural and immediate legislative response to guarantee access to decent housing after the failure of the decree law of urgent measures of the Government presided over by Fernando Clavijo and the decision of the two governing rights to rescue a measure eliminated in 2007 for promoting speculation and the real estate bubble. This is the materialization of the Investment Reserve (RIC) in the free market.
Also because the current legislation, 21 years in force, has become "obsolete" in the face of the main problems of today. Carmen Hernández referred to the high prices of rent and purchase, as well as the shortage of properties, especially in stressed areas. The lack of protected housing that, in the islands, is aggravated by being one of the communities with the least investment in this modality.
Due to the large number of empty residences (211,000), Hernández continued, many of them withdrawn from the market due to the absence of incentives and legal certainty. The growth of vacation rentals that reduces the supply for residents and makes access to a property more expensive. The increase in evictions for non-payment in the islands and speculative purchases by foreigners, which further raises prices and further restricts the supply for Canarians.
Reform axes
The NC-BC spokesperson offered nine axes to be incorporated into the new rule, "without being an obstacle" for the rest of the parliamentary groups to present their measures. The first, as Hernández explained, involves guaranteeing the right to housing as a subjective right, that is, the Government of the Canary Islands has to provide a residence or, subsidiarily, financial assistance.
Secondly, an increase in public investment in these policies until reaching at least 0.4 percent multi-year of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), of the Canarian wealth. Currently, it would amount to 216 million euros. Thirdly, the creation of a public registry of protected residences to improve transparency. The fourth axis, and despite the fact that CC, the PP, the ASG and the AHI rejected the NC-BC program to promote secure rentals, Carmen Hernández once again stressed the need to promote the rental of empty homes with incentives and guarantees.
The fifth measure involves expanding the public park, including the mandatory temporary transfer of empty homes from large property owners and increasing taxation on unoccupied properties without justification. The sixth proposal promotes cooperatives and collaborative models. The seventh promotes the construction of endowment accommodations to provide a temporary response to the elderly, homeless, young people and vulnerable groups.
The eighth initiative, added Carmen Hernández, advocates for protection against evictions and the relocation of vulnerable people. The ninth promotes coordination between state and Canarian public institutions to guarantee access to decent housing.
Nueva Canarias-BC emphasizes the need for legislative changes to be processed urgently, but with the maximum possible consensus to "respond to one of the biggest problems" of Canarian society, which is "jeopardizing" social and territorial cohesion and depriving young people of the opportunity to become independent and develop their life project.
"We hope" that, in the face of the new NC-BC proposal, the Clavijo Government will be "sensitive". "If this problem "really matters to you" and so that you stop taking measures that are "patches", indicated the Canarista parliamentarian. Hernández invited the Clavijo cabinet to stop using this crisis "as an excuse to launch other measures" that are more speculative and that respond to other interests that have nothing to do with resolving the housing emergency".
