Alicante calls for banks to collaborate with social housing

MORE than 300 terminally ill people and destitute families are currently on the waiting list of the Municipal Housing Board of Alicante for social rent. 

The city said this was four times more than two years ago and that they were oversubscribed and in urgent need of housing.

Councillor for Housing and Social Action, Nerea Belmonte said the 800 social housing properties were all occupied as well as the 2,000 flats in the city.

The situation has become so serious that the city is desperately negotiating with eight banks for sale or purchase of empty housing stock, that has been swelling during the crisis, just as lack of resources or evictions have increased families in need of housing.

Following the first set of meetings, Councillor Belmonte highlighted the interest of the entities in collaborating with the city to solve the housing problem and help the families with urgent needs. The city wants the banks to transfer the management of housing to Alicante where they can get families to occupy them.