Spain urged to rent affordable homes, not sell them
In Madrid, Spain, 35 housing proposals put renting ahead of selling: the ombudsman wants more affordable homes kept for tenants. His report reaches the Spanish parliament on Tuesday, 3 November, after a rise in complaints about housing. It calls for more homes with capped rents and sale prices, with rental given priority over sale.
The ombudsman warns that homes can lose those protections when their time limits expire. Keeping a large enough stock, he argues, could also help hold down prices in the wider housing market.
Help for people struggling to rent
The report says public rental homes should go first to people facing a housing emergency and those on low incomes. It singles out families with children, especially single-parent families, alongside victims of gender-based violence, young people, disabled people and older people.
It calls for special protection against eviction for vulnerable tenants who cannot afford a rent increase. The ombudsman also wants officials to consider financial help for people who otherwise cannot afford a home on the rental market.
Empty homes and holiday lets
The report proposes bringing empty privately owned homes into affordable rental use through tax measures, deals with large owners and rental schemes. It also calls for more building in places that need homes.
On holiday lets, the ombudsman recommends limits in areas where their growth is harming the market for permanent homes and contributing to gentrification.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com