Spain To Set Up State Construction Company To Build Social Housing

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced a new set of measures to tackle the escalating housing crisis in the country. He’s the leader of the “Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party” who are a pro-capitalist, establishment party much like British Labour.

But the scale of the escalating housing crisis and pressure from mass protests has forced the government to act. 150,000 took to the streets of Madrid to protest housing late last year.

The march was called under the slogan “housing is a right, not a business!”

There have been ongoing protests against holiday lets across the country and in Catalonia where 200,000 protested against “overtourism”.

The measures announced by the Spanish government today include setting up a State Construction Company to build much needed social housing. Only 2.5% of Spain’s housing stock is social.

Real socialists have called for such a company here in Ireland - but Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael wouldn’t dare upset the developers by setting one up unless we revolt in large numbers.

The Spanish will also crack down on Air B and B holiday lets, there are to be taxes on tourist flats and limits on the amount of holiday lets allowed.

There is also going to be a 100% tax on non-EU funds coming into Spain and buying up homes. This is a good move but could be improved by banning bulk buyers and foriegn funds outright.

Kick the vultures and bulk buyers out of the housing market completely - including funds run by rich Spaniards.

Of course as a Labour Party the Spanish government are making sure landlords are alright by offering to guarantee landlord income while promising to push for fair rents. They’re even going to encourage more landlords by offering tax reliefs.

Whether you’re evicted into homelessness by a local landlord or a vulture fund doesn’t matter much to the homeless worker! A local parasite is still a parasite.

Developers, bosses and the landlords will put pressure on the Spanish government to drop these proposals. The protests on the streets need to up the pressure to force the government to deliver.

Capitalism wants to turn everything, including housing, into a commodity. We have to fight for a State Construction Company, under worker’s control, as part of an ongoing fight to live in a socialist world, where our basic rights aren’t packaged up and sold off.