The federation of residents associations in Palma recently took the lead in presenting a "popular" legislative initiative to the town hall that proposed the banning of holiday rentals in all apartment buildings in the whole of the city.
This proposal was presented at yesterday's council session, a total of fifteen groups supporting it and making their views known. Supported by Podemos and Més, mayor Antoni Noguera's party, the proposal was approved.
PSOE, the third party in the ruling pact at the town hall, abstained, as did the Partido Popular. Former mayor José Hila (PSOE) was jeered because of the party's decision to abstain.
Hila argued that the abstention was consistent with the request that the town hall had previously agreed - and forwarded to the Balearic parliament - for a maximum of two months' rental. The government's rentals' legislation does actually contemplate this for the renting out of "habitual residences". Hila added that he believed it was wrong to consider the whole of the city without taking account of the situation district by district. As the government's legislation allows twelve months to determine zones for rentals, during which no licences can be given, Hila advocated delaying any decision until all information for the city's districts is available.
Ciudadanos was the only party which voted against the proposal. The party has called for regulation of apartment holiday rentals but not a ban. Among the groups which backed the federation's proposals were the environmentalists GOB. Its spokesperson, Margalida Ramis, urged councillors to "listen to the popular clamour" for the preservation of the city.
Joan Forteza, president of the residents' federation, argued that "the massification and touristisation of Palma" had been aggravated in recent years by a large increase in holiday rentals. These, he said, have a very negative effect on the property market by "expelling" residents with lower incomes. "We could die of success," he suggested. The federation's initiative was one to avoid a "social crisis" and to tackle the "process of gentrification" affecting Palma.
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Well done.........................I'm not being sarcastic, I mean it. At long last the residents views and needs have been addressed.
Interesting that Catalan phrase, - the Spanish being the invaders in Mallorca, it's probably translted from what the Moors here said about them at the time...
Best to nip things in the bud before the city of Palma goes the way of Barcelona with its gentrification of working class districts, long term residents being ousted from their homes by companies buying up whole buildings to rent to tourists and rental prices becoming unaffordable for local people. The Catalan saying "de fora vingueren i de casa ens tragueren" comes to mind, although that wasn't its original meaning.To say nothing of the residents of apartment blocks in Palma who are already 'suffering' the actions of irresponsible and misbehaving tourists.Unfortunately this means that the well-behaved tourists have to pay the consequences and will have to rent accommodation outside the city if they don't want to stay in hotels or hostals.
Amazing, the madness continues. This won't have any effect on available apartments, or property values. Many proprietors in Spain do not want long-term tenants because of legnthy and costly eviction process.