The PSOE of Lanzarote, through its island secretary and deputy in Congress, María Dolores Corujo, has strongly denounced today the growing rise of vacation homes on the island, which has experienced an "alarming" increase of 80% since June 2023, reaching a total of 9,350 homes registered in the General Tourism Registry of the Canary Islands.
According to official data, vacation homes "are completely overflowing the traditional tourist centers", such as Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise, and are even reaching localities so far away from mass tourism, such as Haría and Caleta de Sebo in La Graciosa.
The vertiginous growth of this type of housing, with an increase of 4,152 units in just five months, "is generating chaos in the local real estate market, which faces a critical shortage of affordable housing for the residents of the island." Corujo has been clear in pointing out that "this phenomenon is putting at risk the social and economic stability of Lanzarote, by causing a real estate bubble that, according to her forecast, may burst at any moment."
"Since the announcement of the future vacation home law, we have witnessed a stampede of registrations that is collapsing the housing market. Rental prices are sky high, young people cannot access housing and families from Lanzarote are increasingly impoverished. This is unsustainable, and the lack of action by the Government of the Canary Islands is leaving the island on the brink of the abyss," said María Dolores Corujo.
María Dolores Corujo has demanded from the regional Executive "an immediate response and effective to stop the lack of control of vacation homes and protect local citizens." "The inaction of this government and the lack of regulation are impoverishing the people of Lanzarote. We need a regulation of vacation homes that protects the interests of the local population and guarantees access to housing. We cannot allow a real estate bubble to continue to be built that harms those of us who live on this island," she said.
Corujo has insisted that this phenomenon not only affects rental prices, but also the quality of life of residents. "It is no longer just about exorbitant prices, but also about the loss of identity and sustainability of our localities. More and more homes destined for tourist use are affecting the social fabric of the towns, and this has very negative consequences in the long term," she added.
The PSOE of Lanzarote has also highlighted the urgent need for the Government of the Canary Islands to launch a moratorium on vacation homes. "If we do not act quickly and forcefully, this problem will only get worse. We have already seen the devastating impact on other islands, and Lanzarote cannot be the next victim of this real estate bubble. Are we going to quadruple the number of vacation homes with the complicit silence of Oswaldo Betancort and the Government of the Canary Islands? We cannot wait any longer," concluded the island secretary and socialist deputy.
