La Laguna Partners With University to Establish Housing Observatory
La Laguna has partnered with the University of La Laguna to establish a Local Housing Observatory, aiming to provide the technical evidence required to address the city's housing crisis and potential market regulations.
La Laguna is taking a cautious, data-driven approach to its local housing crisis. Following the latest council meeting, the City Council announced it will partner with the University of La Laguna (ULL) to create a Local Housing Observatory. This new body will provide a formal academic assessment of the housing market before the council considers declaring any areas as "residential market-stressed."
The governing coalition (PSOE-CC) argues that this step is essential to meet the requirements of Law 12/2023, which demands rigorous technical evidence to justify any price controls. The Observatory will track key data, including housing availability, the impact of vacation rentals, price trends, and affordability. Mayor Luis Yeray Gutiérrez emphasized that this transparency is necessary to ensure future policies are effective rather than counterproductive.
The decision has sparked political disagreement. While the government and Vox support the need for updated data, the opposition is critical. Drago Verdes Canarias argues that existing information is already sufficient for immediate action, while Unidas se puede has criticized the council for a lack of progress on previous housing promises.
Beyond diagnosis, the Observatory will help shape future municipal plans, such as bringing empty homes onto the market, promoting affordable rentals, and supporting vulnerable families and young people. La Laguna is the first municipality in the Canary Islands to establish this type of academic monitoring, aiming to ensure its future housing policies are legally sound.
In other business, the council requested that the water utility company, Teidagua, submit a report on low water pressure issues across the municipality and outline a plan to improve service quality. The session concluded with a change in the Unidas se puede council team, as Carolina Castro replaced Idaira Afonso in line with the party’s internal rotation policy.