Ca l'Ardiaca purchase planned in Palma
The Council of Mallorca expects to complete its purchase of the Ca l'Ardiaca property in Palma, Mallorca, within the coming months, with the deal targeted for completion before the end of 2026. The authority is already preparing refurbishment work at the site, which provides support for people facing social vulnerability.
Guillermo Sánchez, president of the Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs, said negotiations with the owners were progressing well, although legal and architectural teams were still checking land-registry information and other documents for regulatory compliance. Once that process is complete, the parties can arrange a notarial appointment to sign the sale. The purchase price has not been disclosed.
The plan dates from late April 2025, when the Es Refugi association said it intended to close facilities in part of Ca l'Ardiaca that supported around 20 people experiencing exclusion. The complex comprises four buildings; three are managed by the Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs, while Es Refugi owns two buildings and manages a fourth.
Sánchez attributed the delay of more than a year to administrative procedures and pressure on the architectural department, which had until 31 July to acquire and renovate other properties using European funds.
After the acquisition, the Council of Mallorca intends to invest in improvements intended to expand social-inclusion provision at Ca l'Ardiaca. The 2024 formal census recorded around 440 people sleeping rough in Mallorca. A new count is due through a project involving the University of the Balearic Islands, the European Anti-Poverty Network and the island council.
Sánchez said homelessness was affecting a broader range of people, including more women and younger people, requiring services to adapt to differing needs. He cited the former Palma prison, where more than 200 people had at one point been living without authorisation before it was cleared in June after Palma City Council reports identified a serious risk to residents. The Mallorcan Institute of Social Affairs offered assistance to all those affected, and around 45 former residents subsequently used its housing, social-inclusion or employment-support services.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com