Sánchez attacks Madrid’s €6m penthouse in housing row
Pedro Sánchez used a €6 million penthouse in Madrid on Monday, 7 September, to press his case for stepping into Spain’s housing market. The prime minister contrasted the disputed purchase by the Community of Madrid with Casa 47, a new state housing and land body whose portal has 800 homes available. The regional government says the penthouse was intended for administrative offices, but it has since been put up for sale.
Sánchez did not name Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, but his target was clear. He said people were looking for about 40 square metres to live in while 200 square metres had been sought simply for a terrace.
He said finding a home had become an “obstacle course” for too many people, with housing in some cases taking more than half a salary. He called it an injustice that a decent home had become an almost impossible ambition.
Casa 47 puts 800 homes on its new portal
Casa 47 has launched the first portal for Spain’s state public housing stock, according to Sánchez. It already lists 800 available homes and is due to add another 1,500 from across the country soon.
Applicants will be able to view the homes and apply for one that fits their needs and means, with a process designed to show how the allocation is progressing. Sánchez said the homes would remain protected permanently.
Rent will reflect the property and the economic circumstances of each municipality and territory. Tenants will not pay more than 30% of their income on rent, he said. Contracts will begin at 14 years and may be extended to 75 years.
Sánchez says market is “broken”
The prime minister said the housing market was “broken” and said his government would use every available tool to intervene. He said more than 1,200 affordable properties had already been mobilised, and later put the number of affordable rental homes mobilised at more than 120,000.
Sánchez also pointed to the 2026-2030 State Housing Plan, backed by €7,000 million. In the first quarter of this year, 2,800 new homes were put out to tender, which he said was the biggest volume of public tenders in 18 years.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com