The Ombudsman, Lola Padrón, participated this Monday in the preparatory meeting for the XXXIX Coordination Conferences of Ombudsmen, which will be held in October in La Palma with access to housing as the central theme.
The island of La Palma will be the epicentre of the debate on the right to housing next October. The Ombudsman of the Canary Islands, Lola Padrón, participated this Monday in Madrid in the meeting convened by the Spanish Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo, to finalise the details of the XXXIX Coordination Conferences of Ombudsmen, a gathering that will bring together the top officials of these institutions from across the country.
A problem affecting thousands of Canarians
Access to housing has become one of the major social challenges in Spain, and the Canary Islands are no exception. In the archipelago, rental prices have risen by 18% in the last year, according to data from the Rental Price Index, and the demand for protected housing far exceeds the available supply. The conferences in October will precisely address these issues, with a focused approach that will allow for an in-depth analysis of existing solutions and those yet to come.
“The goal is to share experiences and seek coordinated responses to a problem that affects millions of citizens,” said Lola Padrón after the meeting.
During the preparatory meeting, the ombudsmen from various autonomous communities discussed the allocation of public and protected housing, rental assistance, regulation of tourist rentals, and areas of tense residential markets. All these topics will be thoroughly addressed during the conferences in October, which will take place on the island of La Palma.
La Palma, a stage for state coordination
The choice of La Palma is not coincidental. The island, which is still recovering from the volcanic eruption of 2021, has seen the housing crisis worsen following the loss of hundreds of homes. The conferences will also allow for an analysis of housing alternatives in the face of evictions and the reality of settlements lacking minimum living conditions, a problem that particularly affects vulnerable groups in the Canary Islands.
In the Madrid meeting, in addition to Lola Padrón, the ombudsmen from the Basque Country, Andalusia, Aragon, Catalonia, Castile and León, Valencia, Galicia, and Navarre participated, as well as the Spanish Ombudsman. The Secretary General of this latter institution, José Manuel Saudinós, acted as the secretary of the meeting.
The exchange of experiences regarding shared files and actions among the different ombudsmen was another topic discussed. Inter-institutional cooperation is shaping up to be one of the keys to addressing homelessness, a phenomenon that has increased by 12% in the Canary Islands over the last three years, according to data from the National Statistics Institute.
An intense work schedule
The conferences in October will not be an isolated event, but will be part of a work schedule that the ombudsmen have established for the coming months. Among the topics to be addressed in La Palma are information systems on public housing, a key tool to ensure transparency and efficiency in resource allocation.
For the residents of La Palma, holding these conferences represents an opportunity to bring their own needs and demands regarding housing to the table. The island, which has been a pioneer in implementing measures such as the declaration of a tense area for rentals, hopes that the conclusions of the meeting will translate into concrete policies that improve the lives of citizens.
The conferences will take place in the capital of La Palma, Santa Cruz de La Palma, and will feature the participation of housing experts, representatives of neighbourhood associations, and officials from public administrations. The exact date of the event will be announced in the coming weeks, although all indications point to it taking place in mid-October.
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