The recent State Housing Plan, approved by the Council of Ministers, has drawn criticism in Canarias. The regional administration believes the regulations are outdated, leading to an allocation of 370 million euros for the archipelago, instead of the approximately 500 million euros they believe would be appropriate with an equitable distribution.
“"We learned about the plan on the same day as the rest of the country."
A counselor from the Government of Canarias expressed disagreement with the plan's approval without considering the demands of the autonomous communities, particularly those of Canarias. Despite sectoral commissions where a draft was presented, the Ministry did not respond to the numerous amendments submitted by the Canarian community.
The central focus of these amendments was the updating of data that determines the distribution of funds among regions. According to the Canarian administration, these data have not been updated since 1991, when socioeconomic factors such as poverty levels, per capita income, and population values were considered. It is argued that these data are "absolutely outdated," especially considering that Canarias experiences an annual population growth of about 20,000 people.
Although the "significant" increase in funds compared to the previous plan is valued, it is insisted that a fair distribution would allow Canarias to receive an allocation close to 500 million euros, instead of the 370 million planned for the 2026-2030 period. Furthermore, of the total allocated, 60% is contributed by the State Government and the remaining 40% must be covered by Canarias. The Canarian administration emphasizes that, although they have never opposed this economic participation, they would like to have a more active role in managing a competence they execute at the regional level.
The State Plan also incorporates policies that Canarias has already implemented or proposed, such as increasing the supply of protected housing through public-private collaboration and aid to developers. This mechanism is already underway in the islands and is considered fundamental to increasing the production of privately promoted protected housing, beyond the construction of public housing.
Likewise, incentive policies and demand-side aid, such as the Youth Bonus and rental assistance, are included, with increased funding. Another positive aspect is that housing built with public funds maintains its public character permanently, a measure already applied in Canarias and which receives support. The intention is to continue increasing budgets to respond to the housing emergency with more public resources, coordinating the Canarian Housing Plan with the State Plan.
