Due to rising demand and the fact that vacation rentals are more profitable than long-term rentals, there has been a notable surge in these types of rentals in the major Costa Blanca attractions in recent years.

Numerous city councils have previously attempted to limit this practice because many experts now identify it as one of the primary reasons for the astounding and unchecked increase in rental rates. Finestrat is the most recent to do so, having decided in a plenary session to halt the issuance of new licences until a new ordinance governing the industry is written.

When asked why the local government team came to this conclusion, Víctor Llinares, the Urban Planning Councillor for Finestrat, admitted that “everyone is aware of the proliferation of housing in this area and the problems that are sometimes arising from making this use compatible with residential use.”

In this sense, the council’s goal is to create order between these two regions, which are now hazy. It has been decided, according to Linares, to temporarily halt the granting of certificates “in order to study the draughting of an ordinance that specifically regulates in which areas and under what conditions certificates of compatibility for tourist use will be granted from now on.”

Thus, Finestrat joins other towns like Altea, l’Alfàs del Pi, and Polop in the Marina Baixa zone, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations along the entire Alicante coast, where permits are stopped.

Additionally, the plenary assembly in Benidorm on Monday, 31st March, approved giving the local police and the municipal inspection corps the authority that has previously been held by the regional governments to examine these accommodations and punish those who break these rules.

According to Vectalia, non-personalised media will no longer be accepted as of May 1st, 2025, and the new MOBILIS 30 cards—which will be made of plastic and will be branded with the holder’s photo and information—will be the only way for young people under 31 to use free public transport. These cards will also be the basis for future discounts that will be applied starting on June 30th. This means that the cardboard passes that up until now allowed young people to use certain public transport.

The Alicante TRAM system, the Valencia Metropolitan Transport System, the Castelló TRAM system, and certain Alicante Metropolitan TAM lines are now covered by the MOBILIS 30 card.

For whom is this new card intended?

The new card is designed for residents of Spain who are at least 31 years old. You need to provide the following paperwork in order to apply:

Age range: 14–30 years old; live in Spain; and a valid youth card.
Spanish family book for children under 14 without a national ID.
Foreign nationals, both EU and non-EU, are required to present a resident certificate from the General Police Directorate as proof of their lawful residency in Spain.

How can I obtain my updated coupon?

The application can be filled out online and sent to the address listed on the application by standard mail. To apply for the voucher, visit the website established by the Valencian government.

Furthermore, the TRAM’s internal machinery are also capable of carrying out this upgrade.

What is the card’s amount?

The card is priced at 4 euros. The service will be free when you buy the card.

Which lines of public transport are covered by the pass?

The lines that take the MOBILIS 30 card are listed here.

( 21 ) 21: Alicante – San Juan Beach – El Campello
( 21N ) 21N: Alicante (Puerta del Mar Square) – San Juan Beach – El Campello
( 23 ) 23: Alicante – Hospital de Sant Joan – Sant Joan – Mutxamel
( 23N ) 23N: Alicante (Plaza Puerta del Mar) – Sant Joan – Mutxamel
( 24 ) 24: Alicante (Bus Station) – University of Alicante – San Vicente del Raspeig
( 24N ) 24N: Alicante (Plaza del Mar) – University of Alicante – San Vicente del Raspeig
( 30 ) 30: San Vicente del Raspeig – La Alcoraya
( 31 ) 31: Mutxamel – San Juan – Playa San Juan
( 36 ) 36: San Gabriel – University
( 38 ) 38: San Juan Beach – Sant Joan Hospital – University

Following a process of modernising and simplifying the procedures regulating the municipal housing pool to guarantee its permanent accessibility to people and promote turnover, the Municipal Housing Board has turned over the keys to 23 social rental units, the first of its kind. Two recipients withdrew for personal reasons, therefore the leases for 23 of the 25 allocated units were formalised between March 27th and April 1st, according to a statement from municipal sources.

On February 28th, 2025, the Housing Trustees’ General Meeting decided to distribute 25 homes for social rental; three of these are part of the Municipal Youth Emancipation Program, eight are part of the Municipal General Rental Program, two are part of the Intergenerational Rental Program for Young People, and twelve are part of the Intergenerational Rental Program for Seniors.

Senior Intergenerational Lease Program final contracts were finalised this Tuesday. At the important handover ceremony, Housing Trust President and Councillor Carlos de Juan wished the recipients “that the homes meet all their expectations.” Additionally, he reiterated his and the Trust’s dedication to the tenants, stressing that their relationship is founded on a human connection and transcends the contractual agreement.

Rent and community expenses for the 25 rental apartments held by the Municipal Housing Board range from €120.78 to €299.01. In contrast to the General Units, which are designed for bigger cohabitation units and include two, three, or even four bedrooms, the majority are one-bedroom units. According to the same sources, the apartments’ average useable area is 50.28 square metres, and their average cost, including utilities, is €218.21.

“We first reformed the municipal housing pool, which was infrequently open to applicants on a temporary basis, to introduce a dynamic and permanently open system by simply submitting a sworn declaration of compliance with the requirements for accessing social rental housing with the application,” De Juan stressed. From this new open and accessible housing pool, we are now giving the initial allocations of the permanent offer, which consists of 25 homes, in its different general social rental programmes, including the inexpensive rental housing, the intergenerational ones, and the one targeted at young people.”

Policies for housing

“This government team led by Mayor Luis Barcala has committed to promoting the construction of more than 6,000 homes in the city by freeing up land and activating urban development plans, of which 33%, approximately 2,000, will be designated as social housing,” De Juan stated. “Furthermore, the Board is promoting new developments aimed at social rental housing, with priority given to youth empowerment, with the completion of the 15 homes at El Portón for 1.4 million euros in the Old Town; the upcoming renovation of 14 more in the former teachers’ housing building in San Gabriel; and the new construction of a 32-story block on Calle Ceuta in San Blas; as well as making various plots of land available to the Generalitat (Catalan Government) for the construction of social

“Among the municipalities of the Valencian Community, the Municipal Housing Trust is the only agency with these powers,” De Juan added. In addition to the 510 units that correspond to the Affordable Rental programme for those who entrust their administration to this municipal body, it oversees 746 units under various social rental schemes.

Esquerra Unida Podem, a local organisation, has criticised the publication of this important handover agreement on the municipal website and in a statement sent to the media, calling it a “new partisan use of institutions by the Popular Party in Alicante.” “The recent handover of keys to public housing by the City Council, led by the Housing Councillor, openly violates Law 12/2018, of May 24th, on institutional publicity for the public interest and the collective understanding of public infrastructure,” a statement issued by the coalition states.

Both the public staging of political officials’ real estate handovers and the use of institutional advertising as a vehicle for party propaganda are specifically forbidden under Article 5 of the aforementioned law. The public statement also states that the PP government team has chosen to disregard this rule and utilise an institutional event for its personal political gain, in violation of existing law.

“Once more, the Popular Party is conflating institutions with its own private property. Manolo Copé, the spokesperson for Esquerra Unida Podem in the Alicante City Council, condemned the transfer of these residences as a “blatant exercise in self-promotion and political manipulation with public money, something that is illegal and deeply immoral.” “We are, once again, faced with the fraudulent use of institutions for PP propaganda, instead of respecting the neutrality required by law,” he stated.

From Esquerra Unida Podem, we demand that the mayor and his administration provide prompt explanations and initiate a process to assign duties. Additionally, we implore Barcala to take action against this legal violation, which not only skews public service but also jeopardises institutional equity and transparency,” the statement goes on. “The public, who deserve institutions that operate rigorously and without partisan servility, is disrespected by this kind of behaviour. Copé came to the conclusion, “We will not allow the PP to continue using the City Council for its propaganda. “Any attempt by the Popular Party to break the law and take advantage of the institutions for its own gain will be met with vigilance by Esquerra Unida Podem. The statement went on to say that Alicante needs an open administration that upholds the law and works for the people, not just a select few’s political interests.