Tenerife Residents Return to Las Bajas Cave Dwellings After Five-Year Eviction

Residents of Las Bajas, a coastal community in Güímar, Tenerife, are finally returning home after a five-year housing crisis. Mayor Carmen Luisa Castro has officially lifted the restrictions on the path leading to the area’s unique cave dwellings, allowing the twenty residents evicted in 2021 to move back.

The decision follows a new technical report from an industrial engineer. While the report supports reopening the area, it warns that the site’s natural geology still poses a residual risk. Consequently, the City Council must now implement a constant monitoring protocol and maintain existing safety structures.

The future of Las Bajas has been a major point of political contention in the municipality, even playing a role in the motion of no confidence that returned Castro to office in August 2025. The conflict began in December 2020, when officials identified instability in the slope above the homes. An eviction order was issued in March 2021, originally intended as a temporary four-month measure to allow for reinforcement work.

However, the project quickly spiraled into a complex administrative and financial dispute. The initial budget of roughly 343,000 euros ballooned to over one million euros, leading the then-mayor, Gustavo Pérez, to halt construction in August 2021. Because the work was initially awarded without a public tender due to the perceived urgency, the city now faces costs—including legal fees and penalties—estimated at 750,000 euros, double the original projection.

For the residents, the past few years have been marked by instability and the struggle to secure consistent rental assistance. While this resolution allows them to return to their homes between the TF-1 highway and the coast, it highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing public safety with the complexities of managing geological emergencies.