On February 8, a protest against the proposed new Palma civic ordinance has been called by two associations representing users of motorhomes and caravans. These are recreational users, and the people who live in motorhomes want no part of this protest.
Both groups are opposed to the provisions of the ordinance as they affect motorhomes. But there are very different reasons for this opposition. Javier González, representative of the people living in motorhomes in Son Güells (Palma), explains why: "We want to distance ourselves from the protest by the associations. They have a tourist and recreational purpose. What they are complaining about is an insignificant problem. Ninety per cent of motorhome users and caravaners in Palma do have a problem, and that is housing on the island."
The motorhome 'tourists', says González, are only bothered by the fact that they will have difficulties with parking their vehicles in the same place for up to ten days in a row. "That's a minor problem compared with ours. Our use is not recreational, it is residential. They want to park their vehicles next to the beach, they are tourists. We are forced to live here because there is no affordable housing."
The motorhome dwellers in Son Güells, Son Hugo and Ciutat Jardí are in talks with each other, and they are clear that what the associations want "is not our fight". "The associations are calling for this demonstration on the 8th and they are going to cause a traffic jam throughout the city." González points out that the number of people living in motorhomes is on the increase. "This week a young couple with a one-year-old child came and asked us what it was like to live in a motorhome. Their problem is that they don't have access to a flat." There are contacts with the town hall administration, but González says it is not very open to dialogue. Opposition political parties, he adds, say that they are listening.
At the end of 2024, researchers from the geography faculty at the University of the Balearic Islands presented a study into residents of motorhomes. The researchers counted a total of 150 motorhomes, of which 83 were for residential use. The locations were Son Hugo (the largest of all the settlements), Son Güells, Ciutat Jardí, La Vileta and Cas Català (in Calvia).
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Forever people have complained about unaffordability or unavailability. "There are no jobs," "Apartments are too expensive," "Cost of public transport is too high," "Restaurants are pricey," "There's no work......." Now there's a new group who claim that they need to live in a motor vehicle because they can't afford to rent or buy a brick-built structure. But ask 20 people what they consider the price threshold is for all these rentals/purchases and you'll get 20 different answers. In other words, there are jobs, there is work, there are affordable homes and there are restaurants/eateries with affordable dishes but in each case people need to source and discover these for themselves and use them according to their means. Very few people are flat broke. There's always some money going out somewhere that could be diverted/saved. I see street beggars watching movies and videos on their smart phones. How much does that cost? Or they're smoking. Hugely expensive habit. Or they're wearing new Nike trainers! It's the same with some families. They can't afford their rent but they can afford to go to the bar, smoke a pack of cigarettes, drink beers and eat Tapas. And then maybe a taxi back. Or they're watching Netflix and streaming sports while bemoaning the cost of the bus to work. Tradespeople who claim a lack of work but don't answer their phone or don't ring a potential customer back with a price for a job. The business that is bitter about the state of the economy but doesn't have a growth business plan, doesn't go the extra mile to service customers and whose arrogance drives away the customers it does have. In other words, there's usually always a way and there's usually always the possibility of bettering/changing circumstances. It just takes a little thinking about and a little doing. Nothing is impossible.