Adeje awaits decision on declaration as a strained housing market zone
Adeje is awaiting a decision from the Canary Islands Government regarding the declaration of the municipality as an area with a strained housing market, which would allow measures to be taken to address the problem of high rental prices.
In Adeje, they are awaiting a response from the government of the Canary Islands regarding a request submitted by the city council to have the municipality declared an area with a tense housing market situation. This is a method approved by the government to address the problem of housing shortages and high rental prices.
The Adeje administration says they have done everything correctly since adopting the relevant decision in April last year. They have provided a study, as required by the law on the right to housing.
As early as April 3, 2024, the Adeje City Council decided to appeal to the government of the Canary Islands to conduct a study and recognize Adeje as an area with a tense housing market. Only the Vox party was against it, while all the others – PSOE (the ruling party), CC, PP, and Unidas Podemos – supported it. This decision is important because it allows for other measures to be taken to address the problem of housing rentals in the city.
An amendment from Unidas Podemos was added to the agreement, requiring the central government to verify and analyze state-owned property, and the government of the Canary Islands to provide everything necessary to develop a housing rental price index for the region.
For Adeje to be recognized as an area with a tense situation, it must meet certain requirements. For example, Adeje residents must spend 30% of their income on housing, or purchase or rental prices must have increased by more than three points of the consumer price index over the past five years. This study can be conducted in different areas of the city.
In Adeje, they are waiting for a decision from the government of the Canary Islands and continue to work on resolving other issues. The city authorities say that neither the law nor the recognition of an area with a tense situation forces homeowners to apply the rules and receive tax benefits that are provided for such areas. These benefits can be up to 90% in the tax declaration.
The housing crisis has worsened in the year and a half since Adeje decided to request recognition of the municipality as an area with a tense situation.
On March 27, 2024, Granadilla de Abona also decided to appeal to the government of the Canary Islands to be recognized as an area with a tense housing market. At that time, the PSOE and PP were in power, and the mayor was Jennifer Miranda. Now the city is governed by CC-PP-Vox, and the mayor is José Domingo Regalado. But here, too, there have been no changes so far.
The mayor announced that a study is being prepared on the housing situation in Granadilla. Based on this study, an office will be created to assist with renting, buying, repairing, and obtaining social housing.
La Orotava was the first city in the Canary Islands to propose recognizing the municipality as an area with a tense situation. This decision was made back in November 2023, but nothing has changed so far.