The Gandia Government has taken a step forward in the allocation process for the five affordable rental homes located on Magistrat Català street. After nearly 17 years of disuse, these properties will be made available to citizens. The Local Government Board yesterday approved the provisional list of admitted and excluded individuals, of whom 17 out of 61 submitted applications have met the established economic requirements.
These homes, with a useful area of approximately 95 square meters (the penthouse reaches 150 m²), include a storage room, and three have a parking space. Rents will range from 439 euros per month for the most economical home (501 euros with expenses included) to around 578 euros for the penthouse, figures significantly lower than market prices.
The City Council will now open a period for objections lasting ten working days before proceeding with the final scoring. The scoring criteria will consider aspects such as the number of children in the household, the presence of dependent elderly individuals, years of residency registration in Gandia, and the applicant's age, prioritizing younger profiles.
The delegate councilor for Housing, Salvador Gregori, has highlighted the municipal commitment to affordable housing, acknowledging that five homes do not solve the existing need. The objective is to continue applying for subsidies to expand the municipal housing stock. If deadlines are met, the homes could be handed over by the end of September.
From the Popular Party, deputy spokesperson David Ronda has described the measure as insufficient given the housing emergency in Gandia. Ronda criticizes that only five homes have been made available after more than two years and that the income limit (29,400 euros annually) excludes many families in need. He also recalled that municipal rental aid has benefited just over a dozen families.
Ronda believes that the socialist government is not capable of addressing the city's housing problem, arguing that more has been spent on marketing than on actual housing. He concludes that Gandia needs a city council "up to the most important challenge the city faces".
