Insisting that housing should be understood as a right "and not as a speculative asset", they stated that measures are required which discourage this speculation without hindering "responsible investment and the housing supply". The two associations hoped that the prime minister's visit would "mark a turning point in beginning to build the foundations of understanding between different political forces, putting aside differences and prioritising the well-being of the people of Mallorca and those who have chosen our islands to live".
"Housing cannot continue to be used as a political battleground. While the different parties accuse each other of inaction, families see their chance of having a home in their own land slipping away. We speak on behalf of our sector, but this sentiment is shared throughout Balearic society. It is a concern that affects workers, business owners, young people, families and the elderly, because the right to decent housing has become an unattainable luxury for many."
The housing crisis has "completely spiralled out of control". The lack of political consensus has turned this problem "into a weapon used by political parties and administrations, while real solutions remain elusive". This was a veiled criticism of Vox, who this week vetoed the Balearic Government's decree to liberalise urban land in Palma and facilitate the construction of up to 20,000 homes, half of them of an affordable nature, a proposal supported by the real-estate sector.
ABINI and API pointed to measures that have long been called for, such as streamlining procedures and reducing bureaucracy to facilitate the construction of affordable housing as well as more tax incentives and real aid for residents, especially for young people and families who cannot access decent housing. They stressed the need for a stable housing policy, unchanged with each new government, that generates legal certainty and trust, as well as immediate consensus between the Spanish and Balearic governments to address the housing crisis on the islands.
"We are a land of fighters, who defend what is ours and our loved ones, but also a land of welcome, chosen by many people who see our islands as a wonderful place to live. However, while so many arrive with the hope of settling here, many Mallorcan families suffer the reality of inaccessible housing. We cannot continue to wait while the situation worsens."
11 comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Morgan WilliamsThe Euro is going to devalue further simply because there will be more of it; same as the Dollar. The difference between the two currencies is that one is The Reserve Currency of the World, while the other is not. All three top European economies are faced with declining prospects, deep structural issues, and underinvestment in key economic sectors, which may lead to further financial crisis. Germany is already in a recession, and now they are making the attempt to add 1.7 trillion in more National debt. European markets may be booming currently, but the markets are forever manipulated by various forces, stock buybacks are a particular favorite, selling fear porn to increase defense industry investment another, and are of no concern to folks who live paycheck to paycheck. American markets are in turmoil now but a new order will emerge sooner or later. Upper middle class wealth may be fleeing the USA in the latest trend, but the key difference between the two economies is the former can offer unlimited cheap energy to industry, while the latter is a dependent on outside sources, and we are seeing now the ramifications of that dependence in Germany. Numerous companies, like Apple and Nvidia and J+J, and countries like Saudi Arabia, Japan, Taiwan, UAE, have announced record setting new investment in the USA, whereas there is nothing on that order of magnitude inflowing to the EU. The capital markets in the EU are fragmented and small, "relatively." This is why the EU bureaucrats have created the SIU, Savings and Investments Union, to channel savings into so termed "productive" investments, capital markets and banking sectors. In other words, they intend to use Our savings to fix their broken system. Get accustomed to the phrase - Austerity - because we will be hearing it a lot in the future.
Virtually every developed country is having similar affordability and availability problems when it comes to housing, the main causes are mass immigration, stagnation in building affordable housing, government regulations, inflation, rising interest rates, and there is no easy fix. The reality with respect to the real estate market and foreign buyers like myself is we are not buying homes or apartments that a local family would ever consider or could afford. And as I’ve said before if the government took a portion of the land transfer tax which is a considerable tax and dedicated it to affordable housing in areas that had good public transport, abd was close to areas of employment a lot of the problem could be solved. Foreign buyers are not the cause or problem here.
WildwoodEverything is relative. The euro is going to devalue against what? The dollar? You havin a larf? 300 billion in capital flight? From Europe? Look at the markets. Far more than 300 billion has shifted from the US to European exchanges. Closer to a trillion. Maybe more by now... Capital is fleeing the US. 300 bil is a pittance (relatively).
Justin FlationI dont know why all the downvotes. The Euro is going to continue to devalue at a terrible pace for the next decade, at least, because the national debt brakes have now been abandoned, particularly in Germany. Because muh defense! And muh climate. We have seen something on the order of 300 billion in capital flight from Europe in just the last year. This will continue as Europe in general will be viewed as an unprofitable place for capital investment. None of this bodes well for the young. Remember, it isnt that the price of all things goes up, it is that the currency becomes worth less because there is more of it in circulation, ie., more debt; so one needs more to purchase the same things.
Bryan AdamsThe super rich don't pay taxes. Taxes are for the plebs. The so called trickle down economy is a massive lie. Money doesn't trickle down, it flows upwards.
I may be wrong but in the part of Spain that I live, more Spanish own second and third homes that foreigners...perhaps they should look at that first?
Never anything in this newspaper about the competition for housing, public services, schools, policing, health and hospitals pub8c resources from the 50,000 or so families that have arrived in the past 7 years from Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina and particularly Morocco and Algeria. The island cannot provide social net for all these people.
J M100%, wealth inequality is one of the biggest problems facing the population at the moment. Taxing the super rich, a very small amount, would create enough funds to address many of these problems
Mallorca is the tinder box of what wealth inequality in a society looks like. Although huge profits are being made, those at the bottom are left unable to secure even the basics of what it takes to lead a family life, let alone thrive. It’s a problem that is playing out in virtually every major World city and no Political party in power seems to be interested in reducing either wealth inequality, or in providing truly affordable housing in sufficient numbers. If you think it’s bad now, wait until the young realise that they can never thrive under the current status quo of only the wealthy being allowed to have a family home.
Political greed is all it is.