THE green light has been given for over 100 new subsidised homes to be built in an area of the Costa del Sol where prices are rising quickly.
Data from last month showed that asking prices in Manilva, previously one of the Costa del Sol’s most affordable expat hotspots, have surged by 17.2% from the last year.
Thus the news that 108 new subsidised homes are to be built in Coto Real, just a five minute drive from both Sabinillas and Port Duquesa, should have been greeted with joy by locals struggling to afford to live in their own municipality.
Approved by Manilva town hall on April 10, the project ‘will allow lots of residents to access dignified housing,’ according to mayor Mario Jimenez.
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The move comes at a time where housing prices are increasing, with rent in Manilva rising to over €1,000 per month.
The impetus for the project comes from Manilva’s Urban Planning councillor, Juan Carlos Morejon, who took on the department less than a year ago.
The councillor insists that ‘facilitating access to protected housing is a priority’ due to the fact that that there is a ‘problem everywhere in Spain regarding housing’.
However, PSOE spokesperson Diego Jose Jimenez was quick to point out that the so-called ‘affordable’ housing units are not, in fact, VPO (Public Subsidised Housing) but rather VPPL (Price-capped Subsidised housing).
This is a key distinction as VPPL can block low income residents: “Requiring a monthly income of €4,200 to qualify for these homes shows that they are not intended for the majority of residents,” says Diego Jose.
Speaking on behalf of the local PP, Jose Manuel Fernandez echoed these worries saying that the shortcomings of this administration are already evident.
“The average family will have difficulty accessing this type of housing,” Fernandez stated.
Beyond a potential exclusion of a large proportion of Manilva’s working population, concerns have been raised over the fact that the houses can be sold on the free market in seven years.
All of the homes in this development will be priced under €200,000, according to the town hall, but PSOE believes that the framework allows for speculative operations as ‘someone with money could buy [a home] and sell it at a price that they want in seven years’.
While PSOE believes that this project will therefore benefit investors more than struggling residents, the local government maintains that the 108 homes are a viable, legal solution to the housing crisis.
Manilva’s Vox spokesperson, Antonio Marin, stands with other opposition parties in believing that this type of housing ‘is not a definitive solution’ but also acknowledges that ‘it is better than nothing’.
For Morejon, the ‘record time’ in which this initiative has been planned and approved is something to be proud of, but the councillor understands Marin’s point and knows that there is more to be done.
He states that this move is part of a broader strategy that will include future developments, including those focused on rental properties.
Jimenez echoed this sentiment saying that he will ‘continue working’ on legislation surrounding housing.
More information regarding this particular development is set to be released shortly.
Neither the PP or PSOE of Manilva could be reached for comment.
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