Tenerife Housing Crisis Deepens as Informal Settlements Expand on Protected Land
The growth of the Los Vivitos informal settlement in southern Tenerife has intensified the local housing crisis, leaving 47 families in a legal limbo as authorities struggle to balance land protection laws with urgent social needs.
The housing crisis in southern Tenerife has reached a breaking point as informal settlements continue to grow on protected rural land. Recent reports from Diario de Avisos highlight the local government’s struggle to manage this social emergency, particularly in municipalities like Arona. The settlement of Los Vivitos, situated between Guaza and Buzanada, perfectly captures the conflict between strict planning laws and the desperate need for affordable housing.
Spanning 300,000 square meters, Los Vivitos is home to about 250 people across 47 families. Unlike older, more established settlements in the region—where illegal infrastructure has become somewhat normalized—Los Vivitos is newer and far more precarious. The vulnerability of these homes, built largely from recycled materials and wood, was exposed when Storm Therese caused significant damage to the structures.
The residents currently exist in a legal limbo. While they are trying to organize basic services for the community, their lack of municipal registration prevents them from accessing fundamental rights, such as schooling for their children. This situation is inconsistent with other settlements in the area where registration has been permitted, creating an inequality that local authorities have yet to explain.
Montserrat Ortega, director of the Canary Islands Agency for the Protection of the Natural Environment, has emphasized the need to distinguish between standard planning violations and cases that require urgent social intervention. Meanwhile, the Arona City Council aims to stop the settlement from expanding further, though their efforts have been limited so far.
The land itself is privately owned, and the owners have remained largely uninvolved in negotiations. The situation is further complicated by local political groups, such as Fuerza Canaria, which has provided basic supplies like water and electricity, turning the residents' housing struggles into a platform for political visibility. For now, the people of Los Vivitos continue to manage their own affairs, waiting for an official solution that balances the protection of agricultural land with the basic human right to decent housing.