PSOE Criticizes Arona Administration Over Stalled Housing and Security Projects
The PSOE in Arona has criticized the local government for stalling public housing renovations, failing to secure regional aid, and abandoning plans for an independent police facility.
The management of public housing and security in Arona, Tenerife, has sparked political debate following a series of meetings between PSOE representatives and local residents. Led by municipal spokesperson José Julián Mena and island secretary-general Tamara Raya, the socialist group has criticized the current administration for what they describe as a standstill in both housing renovations and police services.
The PSOE argues that the current government has abandoned a roadmap established during the previous term. This strategy began with the 2.8 million euro renovation of 70 homes in the Virgen del Carmen de Guargacho development in 2023. According to the opposition, this was intended to be the first phase of a wider plan to improve housing for 375 families in the San Martín de Porres, Santa Rita, Hermano Pedro, and Mazapé developments—a plan they claim has stalled since the change in local government.
Residents are also frustrated by delays in property regularization. In the Hermano Pedro and Mazapé developments, families report that despite submitting the necessary paperwork to the Canary Islands Housing Institute, the process remains blocked, leaving them without formal property deeds.
Furthermore, the PSOE has raised concerns regarding land policy, pointing to a lack of progress on plots in Las Rosas and La Estrella that were ceded to the regional government for subsidized housing. The party also noted that Arona was excluded from the Tenerife Island Council’s 12.5 million euro "Activa Vivienda" program, alleging that the City Council failed to submit the required documentation to qualify for the affordable housing aid.
Finally, the debate has extended to public safety. The previous administration had proposed building an independent police facility in Parque La Reina. The current government is now considering an alternative plan to house these services in a commercial space shared with homes and garages—a proposal the PSOE has strongly criticized during its recent neighborhood visits.