Pedro Sánchez announces the Government's commitment to increasing affordable public housing stock

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

Family photo of the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, with representatives of the housing sector (Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

The Minister for Housing and Urban Agenda, Isabel Rodríguez, appeared before the media to explain the details of the meeting, which she described as very productive: "We agree on the objective of increasing supply in order to guarantee the right to affordable housing". "We are all united in this common goal and from here today has come a commitment to strengthen public-private partnerships to increase the public stock and streamline processes to increase affordable housing". The government, moreover, "will not leave any state instrument to solve the problem of access to housing without implementing it", she stressed.

New meetings

"This is not the first time we have met with the sector. Today, we have analysed the implementation of the agreements reached at the first meeting, which are related to the others that we have already put in place". Among them, the development of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (RTRP) and the guarantees and loans with the Official Credit Institute (ICO) and the amendment to the Land and Urban Rehabilitation Law. "All these instruments have been positively valued by the entities present at today's meeting," said Isabel Rodríguez.

"We are not satisfied with one meeting a year. The Government is committed to holding such meetings every six months, and the president will attend at least once a year," she said.

Guarantees to owners

The Minister for Housing and Urban Agenda, Isabel Rodríguez, the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the Minister for Economy, Trade and Enterprise, Carlos Cuerpo, at the meeting with representatives of the housing sector | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Isabel Rodríguez also addressed the owners of rented housing to point out that "for the most part, 95% of these homes are owned by private individuals" and the Government is going to work to "provide certainty, legal security and guarantees" so that "they can make more homes available for affordable rent".

Update of the ECO Order

The minister also announced that the Government is going to update Order ECO/805/2003 of 27 March on rules for the valuation of real estate and certain rights for certain financial purposes. This afternoon, the amendment launches the public consultation, which will be accessible through the website of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise.

"The objective is to update these regulations because the study we have carried out on the need for specific amendments, which is related to streamlining urban management. She added, "introducing very important elements, such as new construction techniques, especially with regard to the industrialisation of construction, or sustainability factors also in the field of construction".

Construction

The Minister Minister for Housing and Urban Agenda, Isabel Rodríguez, during her appearance to explain the details of the meeting of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, with the representatives of the housing sector

The minister also stressed "the importance of the construction sector for the generation of employment and the economy". "We want them to do so also with mainstreaming, especially for young people and women. We are going to work with the sector and the Fundación Laboral de la Construcción. We want to do it and we want it done quickly," she stressed.

On behalf of the Executive, in addition to the President, the Minister for Housing and Urban Agenda and the Minister for Economy, Trade and Enterprise, the meeting was attended by the Director of the Office of Economic Affairs and G20, Manuel de la Rocha; the Secretary of State for Housing and Urban Agenda, David Lucas; the Secretary of State for Economy and Business Support, Israel Arroyo; and the Secretary General for Housing and Urban Agenda, Iñaqui Carnicero.

Representatives of the sector's organisations were also present: Association of Developers and Builders of Spain (APCE), National Construction Confederation (CNC), Spanish Association of Public Housing and Land Managers (AVS), Confederation of Housing Cooperatives of Spain (CONCOVI), Association of Housing Managers (AGV), National Association of Rehabilitation and Reform Companies (ANERR), SEOPAN, Higher Council of Architects' Associations of Spain (CSCAE), General Council of Official Associations of Quantity Surveyors and Technical Architects of Spain (CGATE), Banking Association (AEB), CECA, Spanish Youth Council, Third Sector Platform, General Workers' Union (UGT), Workers' Commissions (CCOO), Hogar Sí, ProVivienda.

Non official translation