Spanish Developers Association Calls for Housing Shortage to Be Addressed

The employers' association APCEspaña (Association of Spanish Developers and Builders) is calling on the PP and PSOE parties to create a public housing and urban planning pact to improve accessibility for those in need. In a statement, the association notes that there is a "structural deficit" where the number of homes exceeds the number of affordable homes. The association regrets that, despite the existence of a serious problem, government initiatives do not address its source or provide the necessary increase in affordable housing.

APCEspaña's response follows the presentation by Pedro Sánchez of a package of 12 measures, including the transfer of housing and land to a new public housing company, tax breaks for tenants and restrictions on purchases by non-residents. The association criticizes measures that restrict purchases by non-EU citizens, arguing that such restrictions do not solve the problem of accessibility, but rather support the economy and employment in regions with strong residential tourism markets.

The President of APCEspaña, Javier Vilajoana, stresses that in order to achieve effective measures, it is necessary to focus on accelerating the development process and ensuring legal security. He points to the problem of long urban planning approval times, which paralyse construction and worsen the housing situation in Spain. The Housing Ministry is considering a land law that would speed up these processes, but the People's Party is refusing to support it.

The association proposes a number of concrete measures, including recognising some urban works as emergency work and supporting new sustainable developments. Developers also advocate for incentives for the construction of sheltered housing as a way to achieve affordability, sustainability and flexibility. They are pushing for a reduction in VAT on sheltered housing to 4% or its abolition, in order to reduce the financial burden on families and young people, as well as a complete VAT exemption for sheltered rental housing.