The Junta de Andalucia led by Juanma Moreno plans to pass a ‘landmark’ housing law before the end of the current legislative term, it has announced, aiming for ratification in Parliament no later than June.
The bill, which has gone through months of public consultation, is pitched as a counter-model to the national housing strategy backed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
While the central government is pushing for price intervention in the rental market, Moreno’s proposal leans heavily in the opposite direction – prioritising legal certainty for developers and landlords, and focusing on increasing the supply of both public and private housing.
A market-oriented approach
‘This law is about generating more housing at more affordable prices,’ Moreno said.
The draft legislation includes measures such as the designation of special land zones for social housing, simplified procedures to convert office and tourist-use buildings into protected housing (VPO), and new requirements for local authorities to ensure 25% of new development is allocated to VPO.
The law also proposes the creation of an online public register to provide citizens with updated information on available protected housing units across Andalusia.
A tame law arrives late
Despite the headline ambitions, the housing bill is seen by some as lacking political punch. Many of its more significant measures – such as the easing of land-use regulations and updates to the pricing system for VPO – have already been implemented through an emergency decree in March.
More importantly, key elements originally presented as central pillars of the law have been dropped or watered down.
Notably, the final version does not address illegal occupation of homes, nor does it include the controversial term inquiocupación (tenant-squatting).
It also abandons the earlier proposal to guarantee VPO status for 10 years, a move that had previously sparked tension with the central government.
Little consensus, limited backing
Although more than 50 organisations and associations participated in the consultation phase, the law enters Parliament without broad political or social consensus.
On the political front, only Vox has signalled a willingness to engage with the bill. Trade unions such as UGT and CCOO were notably absent from the launch event and have already voiced opposition to the proposed framework.
The private sector is equally underwhelmed. Ignacio Peinado, president of the Andalusian Federation of Developers (Fadeco), said the draft lacks ambition and urged lawmakers to strengthen the law during the parliamentary process.
Fadeco has called for state-level recognition of large-scale residential projects, simplification of bureaucratic procedures, and further incentives for building VPO without undermining the market for free housing.
Its demand for the declaration of a housing emergency – a move that could trigger more aggressive planning policies – was rejected.
During the bill’s presentation, Moreno acknowledged the depth of the crisis, particularly for young people priced out of the housing market.
‘We’re arriving late,’ he said. ‘We’ve gone more than a decade without the necessary reforms, and past policies have made things worse. We need realistic, experienced-based solutions.’
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
