More families cannot afford housing

The total number of Palma families who cannot afford to live in protected housing in the city has risen to 1'100 because their annual income is less than three million pesetas. The Director General for Housing, Jaime Carbonero, said yesterday that the figure is far than anticipated and he said that housing and land policies have got to be looked at in order to resolve the situation. Over the past six months, the Balearic Housing Institute has received 3'700 applications for the 160 protected houses in the Balearics but it appears that only half of the applications meet the basic requirements for council operated properties. Recent reports have confirmed that families in the Balearics find it hardest to reach the end of the month and that average wages are well below the national average. These are two phenomenons being blamed for the problems families are having in finding a house to live in in one of the wealthiest regions in the European Union.