The Balearic Government has announced that it will prioritize people with more than seven years of residence in their municipalities to access subsidized housing (VPO) or public promotions. This was stated this Thursday by the president Marga Prohens during the delivery of keys of a promotion of 18 homes in Esporles.
This criterion, already applied in Esporles through an agreement between the City Council and the Balearic Housing Institute (Ibavi), will be extended to all public developments and housing at a limited price in the Balearic Islands. “It is only fair to prioritize the residents of each municipality and prevent them from having to change town,” said Prohens. In Esporles, eight of the successful bidders have been registered in the municipality for more than seven years, while the remaining seven were selected from Ibavi’s list of applicants. The president emphasized that access to housing is the main problem of citizens in the Balearic Islands, and that the solution is to promote public housing as an inalienable priority.
Affordable housing in
The development delivered in Esporles consists of 18 dwellings, two of them adapted for people with disabilities. The properties, of 45 useful square meters and one bedroom, have a rent adjusted to the income of the tenants, ranging between 298 and 509 euros per month, never exceeding 30% of the tenant’s income. Six of the tenants are over 65 years of age, and nine are young people under 35 years of age. The project includes communal areas, garden and concierge, with a budget of 2.1 million euros and completed in October after starting in November 2022.
More measures to address the housing crisis
During the ceremony, Prohens stressed that the housing policy of the Govern will focus on serving local residents and promoting the development of new public infrastructures and natural spaces. The Councilor for Housing, Territory and Mobility, José Luis Mateo, accompanied the president at the handover of keys and reiterated the importance of maintaining social justice criteria in public housing allocations. In the previous meeting with the mayor of Esporles, Josep Ferrà, they addressed various needs of the municipality in housing, water and infrastructure. Prohens thanked the mayor for his “collaborative attitude” and stressed the importance of maintaining an open dialogue to solve local problems.
