Puerto de la Cruz Commissions Study to Declare Stressed Residential Market Area
Puerto de la Cruz has commissioned a specialized study by award-winning architect Rodrigo Vargas to determine if the municipality qualifies as a "stressed residential market area" to address its ongoing housing crisis.
Puerto de la Cruz is taking action to address its local housing crisis. The City Council’s Urban Planning department, led by councilor David Hernández, has commissioned a specialized study to help the municipality qualify as a "stressed residential market area" under Law 12/2023.
To ensure the process is rigorous, the council has hired architect Rodrigo Vargas, winner of the 2025 Spanish Urban Planning Award. His involvement highlights the difficulty of balancing housing needs with high tourism demand, a challenge common in many popular destinations.
The study, which costs 14,000 euros and will take 24 weeks to complete, goes beyond basic statistics. It aims to determine if the city meets the legal criteria for housing vulnerability. The process will involve three stages: verifying data sources, analyzing the local housing market and socioeconomic conditions, and drafting a final justification report.
A primary focus will be the financial burden on residents. The study will assess whether housing costs, including utilities, exceed 30% of a household's income—a key benchmark for identifying residential stress. By working closely with municipal experts, the project aims to create a strong, evidence-based case to present to the Canary Islands government.