This Tuesday, the Council of Ministers unveiled a new package of measures to respond to the housing access crisis with an allocation of 225 million euros destined to develop affordable housing in rental areas declared stressed and to create some 2,000 accommodation places for students, teachers and university researchers in different parts of the country.
The package is articulated in two royal decree-laws that will have to be approved by the Permanent Deputation of the Congress of Deputies. The first of them, endowed with 180 million euros, regulates the granting of direct subsidies to the autonomous communities that have declared stressed residential market areas. Its objective is to increase the supply of affordable housing to reduce rental prices in the 317 municipalities of five autonomous communities that have declared stressed residential market areas.
Catalonia receives the majority of the amount because, as the minister of the sector, Isabel Rodríguez, has explained, it is home to the largest proportion of families affected by the price crisis. Specifically, there are 271 Catalan municipalities declared in tension and 119.4 million euros are awarded to them; For the Basque Country, with 18 municipalities under tension, 31 million euros will go; 13.3 million for Navarra (21 municipalities), 10.2 million euros for Galicia (La Coruña and Santiago) and 5.9 million euros for Asturias (5 municipalities).
With this financing, the Government intends for the autonomous communities to develop measures in different areas, such as the promotion and/or rehabilitation of housing, or alternative housing solutions, which will be used for affordable or social rentals regardless of the qualification and ownership of the land.
Also for the acquisition of land with residential buildability for residential use, or alternative housing solutions; the development and urbanization of land for residential housing use or alternative housing solutions; the acquisition of homes or alternative housing solutions to be used for social or affordable rental and for coverage for non-payment of housing lease contracts.
university places
The second royal decree-law, endowed with 45 million euros, aims to address the problems faced by many families with children who have to go to other cities to pursue the university courses they want, as well as part of the teaching and research community of the universities.
The proposal involves a direct granting of subsidies for university accommodation by the Ministry of Housing to seven universities with specific projects with short-term viability. The creation of 2,000 university accommodation is planned in the first phase.
The actions achieved are located in Castilla-La Mancha, Andalusia, Community of Madrid, Catalonia, Castilla y León and the Valencian Community and contemplate 13.3 million euros for the Autonomous University of Madrid, 8.1 million for the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Albacete), 6.5 million for the Pablo de Olavide University (Seville), 5.9 million for the University of Burgos, 4.5 million for the Jaime I University of Castellón, 3.5 million for the University of Jaén and 2.9 million for the Lérida City Council.
