Santa Cruz Residents Turn to 'Guerrilla Urbanism' Amid Neglect in Valleseco

In Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the Valleseco neighborhood has become a prime example of the growing divide between city management and the actual needs of local residents. As reported by El Día, local resident Yeray Hernández has taken matters into his own hands, stepping in to fix urban maintenance issues that neighbors say have been ignored by the local government for years.

This form of "guerrilla urbanism"—where citizens improve public spaces without waiting for official help—is becoming increasingly common in this part of the city. Hernández, who works in risk prevention, has used his own money to fund improvements on Ramón Botas Street. This includes planting greenery and painting a mural celebrating the neighborhood’s seafaring history, costing him over 200 euros.

These efforts go beyond just making the area look better; they are also about health and safety. Hernández has cleaned up vacant lots that were filled with trash and overgrown weeds, which had become breeding grounds for pests. This work is especially urgent with the Virgin of Carmen festivities approaching in mid-July. The local neighborhood association, Nuestra Señora del Carmen, argues that the City Council has failed to ensure the area is in a suitable condition for these celebrations.

The situation in Valleseco is not an isolated incident. The neighborhood association fully supports Hernández, pointing out that the city’s failure to handle basic tasks like waste removal, street lighting, and path maintenance is forcing residents to do the work themselves. Neighbors have even teamed up to install safety railings and improve pedestrian crossings in difficult areas where public investment has been absent.

While Hernández has proposed forming neighborhood cleaning brigades, participation remains low despite widespread frustration with the state of the area. As formal complaints to the city council continue to go unanswered, the small improvements made by residents—from new gardens to holiday lighting—serve as a stark reminder of the tension between the city’s responsibilities and the resilience of those living on the outskirts of the capital.