Walter Finch
MASS demonstrations are planned in over 40 cities across Spain as citizens rise up against a housing crisis that has priced many out of the market.
The unprecedented mobilisation encompasses almost all major cities plus dozens of smaller towns that collectively represent over a third of the entire population of the country – and more could join the list.
Under the slogan ‘Down with the housing sector’, the nationwide protests will be the first in over a decade at this scale.
These towns and cities are expected to grind to a halt for several hours on Saturday, April 5, as potentially millions of people take to the streets.
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Protests will other hit towns and popular resorts including La Linea de la Concepcion, Tarifa, Cadiz, Eivissa, Almeria, Jerez de la Frontera, Elche, Granada and Alicante.
Among the demands are a reduction in rental prices, an end to the phenomenon of empty properties and even the criminalisation of the private desokupa companies which force squatters out of homes.
Other causes are for stopping the evictions of vulnerable families who have no alternative homes and an end to the repression of the ‘housing movement’.
It comes as the latest data shows that non-new build house prices shot up another 11.2% this year, with the sharpest rises being felt in Madrid, Valencia and Malaga.
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The Spanish capital’s average price has now reached €5,321 per square metre – a 22.7% increase and a new historic record.
Valencia follows closely behind with a dramatic 21.6% price rise over the past 12 months, bringing average costs to €2,919 per square metre.
Completing the top three, Malaga city continues to be one of the most stressed metropolitan areas with prices jumping 20.3% year-on-year.
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The nationwide picture shows an average price of €2,311 per square metre – another all-time high for the Spanish property market.
Andalucia has experienced even stronger growth than the national average, with used property prices rising 13.3% in the last year to reach €2,390 per square metre.
This represents a quarterly increase of 3.1% and marks a historic record for the region.
The price spiral contrasts with the most common salary in Spain of around €18,503 in 2022, and a median salary of €21,638 – both below the average annual gross salary per worker of €26,948.
For idealista spokesperson Francisco Iñareta, the crisis is borne from several factors.
“The supply of properties for sale continues to shrink, and neither the limited new construction nor properties coming from the almost non-existent rental market can contain the ever-increasing demand,” he said.
“Despite expected interest rate stabilisation, the appetite for buying remains strong due to the vicious circle of expected price increases and high rental costs caused by supply shortages.
“Urgent legislation is needed to ease and shorten the timeframes for land development and construction of new housing.
“We have a significant lack of housing that is worsening quarter by quarter, and only creating supply can end the price escalation,” Iñareta concluded.
