The government met with different representatives of the real estate industry this morning to explain its housing policy. “I would like to underline the importance of this meeting in terms of providing structural solutions for access to housing, which requires the consensus of all sectors. Our aim is to work side by side“, pointed out Raquel Sánchez, Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, at the next press conference.
Sanchez He insisted that “all measures are committed and well received” announced by the executive.. “I believe that housing is a national cause and this government is mobilizing all the resources at its disposal. This meeting has helped us all work in the same direction.”
as well as the Minister of Transport. Head of Government attended the meeting, Pedro Sanchez; Nadia Calviño, First Vice President and Minister of Economy and Digital Transition; and Defense Secretary Margarita Robles. Apart from the executive, different employers from the industry such as the Spanish Association of Promoters and Builders or the National Confederation of Construction participated. Also Sareb, Sepes or the Housing, Infrastructure and Equipment Defense Institute, unions and architect groups.
But, Large and small hosts not availableParticularly the individuals, banks and investment funds represented by the Association of Rental Housing Owners (ASVAL), nor tenant associations. To a question on the subject, the Minister said that they had made their assessments while the Zoning Law was being prepared. “We have always collaborated and actively listened to the industry and any agencies that have a say,” he added.
Axes of the government’s housing policy
The first measure cited by the executive was an increase in the housing budget. “We started with a budget of 475 million euros and this Government has eightfolded it. General Government Budgets predict the largest item in history, 3,462 million. We have already allocated 9,000 million to housing policy,” argued Raquel Sánchez.
The minister also referred to the Housing Act, which was recently approved. Fifth pillar “legal tool” to support welfare state. He also wanted to remember that it is in favor of all agents, including smallholders, and should be enforced by all public forces.
The third axis that Sánchez mentions has been the publicly affordable and social rental housing numbers owned by Spain. “The figures show the situation we have to face. Spain does not reach 300,000 public houses, which cover only 1.6% of the houses and represent between 2.5% and 3% of the stock. At least one goal is to reach the 9% average of the countries around us.. Then we set ourselves more ambitious targets, as in more developed countries where it reached 20 percent,” he said.
Finally, the Minister referred to Pedro Sánchez’s announcement on Sunday regarding the creation of a guarantee line for home purchases. Sánchez assured that this measure will be approved by the Cabinet tomorrow. Revealed that 50,000 young people and families with dependent children can benefit.
Discussion with Podemos for guarantees
Ione Belarra, Minister of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda and Secretary General of Podemos, sharply criticized the decision to support home purchases on his Twitter account this morning: “PSOE proposes a measure to finance mortgage entry. Botín and PP already didand failing in the UK. Unless affiliated with Podemos, PSOE housing proposals are against the general interest. The entire Housing Code must be implemented.”
Raquel Sánchez did not want to engage in conflict and stated that this was just one more offer of all the Government’s proposals and they should all be considered as a whole. “We’re betting on rental housing and it’s true there are thousands of families and young people who want to choose to buy and need an answer“, added.