Oswaldo Betancort, the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, has called on the Canarian Parliament to prioritise the acquisition of existing homes in Playa Blanca and expedite plans for 136 new homes in Montaña Roja. This initiative aims to enhance the public housing stock and provide quicker responses to families struggling to find accommodation.
During a question addressed to the Minister for Public Works, Housing, and Mobility, Pablo Rodríguez, Betancort questioned the priorities of the Yaiza Town Hall in light of Playa Blanca’s pressing needs. The town, which has over 11,000 residents, lacks a secondary school and has been unable to expand its health centre due to unassigned municipal land. Additionally, a sports pavilion has remained closed for more than four years.
“Playa Blanca contributes to the economy and employment, yet residents still lack adequate public services,” Betancort stated. “The delay in land transfer from the Town Hall is holding back the construction of the school and the health centre’s expansion, forcing young people to travel 20 kilometres daily to attend classes.”
Betancort urged Yaiza’s mayor to address these urgent needs and resolve outstanding urban development issues to ensure Playa Blanca obtains the necessary health, education, and sports infrastructure.
Regarding the Montaña Roja development, which has an updated cost of over €35 million, Betancort pushed for progress on the 136 planned homes and emphasized the importance of purchasing already built or unfinished properties to increase the housing supply more swiftly.
“We must responsibly manage public resources. An investment of €34 million could secure over 220 homes. Families are living in caravans, cars, or sharing spaces, and they need urgent solutions,” he remarked.
Pablo Rodríguez confirmed that the Montaña Roja project remains a priority for the Canarian Government, which awarded the project design in 2024. He also stated that the government will include the project in available financing plans and will prioritise the acquisition of unfinished buildings to expand public housing more rapidly.
Betancort highlighted that around €20 million is allocated by both the Cabildo and the Government for two initiatives to add 118 homes to Playa Blanca’s public housing stock. This includes 42 homes in Los Ajaches, already acquired and transferred to the Canarian Housing Institute, and another 76 planned for acquisition next month.
Rodríguez announced that the process for allocating the first 42 homes would be published shortly in the Official Bulletin of the Canaries, noting that the government has already granted a €5.5 million subsidy to support the purchase of the remaining 76 homes.
Betancort reiterated the need to progress both projects to address Playa Blanca’s housing emergency and urged the Yaiza Town Hall to resolve outstanding urban planning issues so residents can finally access the public services they have awaited for years.
