The Local Committee of Nueva Canarias (NC) in Teguise has registered a motion for debate and approval in the plenary session to be held this Wednesday, on the current situation in access to housing in the municipality, the high costs of rents, empty homes and vacation rentals.
Thus, the Canarian councilor Fernando Jiménez proposes that the conservative government group of CC, PP and Vox carry out a "study and report on the reality surrounding housing that clarifies the situation in which the municipality starts." Jiménez, who will present, among other reasons, data from some studies that show the "real problem" that exists in the municipality, such as the situation in several locations where "families allocate more than 30% of their salary to rent and basic housing expenses", and that could be classified as "stressed areas". According to the consultant Atlas Real Estate Analytics, the localities of Costa Teguise, Caleta de Famara, Mozaga and Tahiche would be stressed, at least.
For NC, "the reality in access to housing is becoming increasingly worrying, affecting all types of incomes, ages and locations." They continue, pointing out that "Teguise is being affected by the inability to find housing in the tourist centers and Arrecife, which causes applicants to search in rural areas."
"This movement of housing demand comes from the effect caused by the services and tourism sector, which causes demographic growth not only in coastal and hyper-developed areas, but also in towns such as Mozaga, Guatiza, Tiagua or Tahíche", comments Fernando Jiménez, who sees "a problem that could get worse if we do not identify the causes that make rents rise or that there are no available homes."
On the other hand, the Canarians also point out that "21% of the homes that are in the municipality are not used", exactly, 2,374 of 11,186 according to the latest INE census of 2021; being the third municipality after Yaiza and Tías with the most expensive land per square meter in Lanzarote. "This makes it impossible for a young person in the municipality to become independent", Jiménez laments.
"This makes it impossible for a young person in the municipality to become independent"
At the same time, and according to the recent report prepared by the Ministry of Tourism on the concentration of vacation homes in the Canary Islands, Teguise is among the 20 municipalities with the highest number of vacation home places with practically 6,000 places.
"All these conditions are sufficient reasons for the conservative government group of Teguise to launch policies and decisions that help improve this situation, and not hide under the cliché of not having powers", points out Fernando Jiménez, who states that "the City Councils do have powers in matters of urban planning, tax incentives, purchase of housing and land, aid to rent and restoration, or urge the Government of the Canary Islands to declare stressed areas that paralyze the price of rent and stop speculation."