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.