An initiative by the left-wing coalition party Sumar to implement European and state regulations to restrict the sale of homes to foreigners in areas “clearly stressed by tourist activity” including the Balearic Islands has been rejected by an absolute majority of the centre-right PP party in the Senate.
As a result, the initiative will not go ahead in the plenary session of the Upper House, which has come as a crushing blow to protesters who have this summer been demonstrating to protect the archipelago and Spain in general from mass tourism and the housing crisis.
Sumar’s Balearic senator, Juanjo Ferrer, had presented this initiative in the Upper House to facilitate access in stressed areas including on the island of Majorca.
In his explanatory statement, he pointed out that one of the main problems was the foreign purchase and sale of these luxury homes.
In the text, it talks about finding a way to restrict or limit housing for foreigners in areas stressed by tourism.
This has been one of the main reasons why the People’s Party of the Balearic Islands (PP) has argued its rejection of Sumar’s initiative in the Senate, at the same time as it has valued the policies of the PP president of the Balearics, Marga Prohens, in terms of housing, the Majorca Daily Bulletin reported.
“The problem we have in the Balearics is the lack of housing for 120,000, 150,000, 200,000 or 300,000 euros. That is the housing problem in the Balearics and do not deceive people with your radical left-wing measures,” proclaimed the PP senator for the Balearics, María Salom.
Salom also blamed the problems on the “communism” that she claimed exists within the central government, putting the focus on the Housing Law. In her opinion, this is generating “legal insecurity” and that owners do not put their homes up for rent.
The PP made use of its absolute majority to advance its rejection of the motion – a non-legislative initiative – so it will not go ahead.
Earlier in the summer, it was reported that the housing crisis is now so bad in Spain that locals have been forced to live in their cars, caravans and makeshift homes. The housing crisis in Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, and a rising cost of living have led around 2,400 people – according to an analysis by Caritas last year – to illegally occupy private and public land in lieu of a home.
Low-paid workers who are crucial to the tourism industry but are unable to afford a house due to increased property prices have now led to the emergency of shanty towns, focused in the southern part of the Canary Island, particularly in Arona and Adeje.
José, a 65-year-old kitchen assistant who works in a hotel, told The Telegraph how he was forced out of his apartment last year. He rented the property for £340 a month before the landlord turned it into a short-term rental for holidaymakers.
José said: “Now anything with one or two bedrooms costs at least €900. I earn minimum wage, €1,100.
“If I have to pay that kind of rent, then we won’t be able to eat. Here we eat by cooking on gas.”