A German tourist flat firm has responded after becoming the target of a left-wing political campaign in Andalucia.
It comes after Adelante Andalucia called for the expropriation of tourist flats in the region that belong to large companies and banks.
Jose Ignacio Garcia, spokesman for Adelante Andalucia, this week travelled to a residential block on Ronda de Capuchinos in Sevilla to highlight what he described as a stark example of property speculation spiralling out of control.
He stood outside a building entirely owned by Limehome, a German firm run by Dr Josef Vollmayr and Cesar de Sousa Freitas.
While holding up a picture of the businessmen, Garcia accused large private landlords of distorting the housing market and pricing out ordinary Andalucians.
‘These two individuals have properties in six provinces across Andalucia,’ he said.
‘They don’t live in any of them, nor do they have any interest in Andalucia beyond making money.’
He added: ‘I ask Andalucian society and all political parties – does it seem logical that two people can own 2,600 homes (across Spain) while Andalucians cannot afford to buy or rent a single one?’
Push for radical housing law
Garcia used the moment to call for sweeping reforms, proposing a new regional housing law that would effectively strip large property owners of control over their portfolios.
The plan would see homes owned by major landlords, banks and investment funds ‘deprivatised’ and made available as affordable housing.
‘We are proposing a law to take back homes from large property holders like these, from banks and from investment funds, and put them at the disposal of working Andalucians,’ he said.
He claimed such a measure is legally viable at a regional level, but would require a government willing to prioritise what he called ‘the overwhelming majority’ of citizens locked out of the housing market.
‘An overwhelming majority cannot afford a home’
Garcia argued that extreme property concentration is at the heart of the crisis, claiming no individual could accumulate thousands of homes through ordinary means.
‘No one acquires 2,600 homes through honest work, that is simply not true,’ he said.
‘This is the result of inheritances, investment funds and speculative business practices.’
He also pointed to what he says is a growing stock of unused housing across the region.
‘In Andalucia there are around 640,000 empty homes,’ Garcia claimed.
‘I’m not talking about someone’s second home by the beach, I’m talking about properties that are completely unused and held purely for speculation.’
In a response, Limehome told the Spanish Eye that they believe housing crises should be tackled by increasing supply.
They also said that they do not own the properties outright, but have deals with the real owners.
A spokesperson told this newspaper: ‘Limehome does not own properties but partners with real estate owners to professionally operate accommodation assets.
‘Limehome operates serviced apartments, aparthotels and hotel assets across Spain in full compliance with local regulations.
‘As part of the broader hospitality sector, we believe it is important to ensure clear and consistent regulation of short- and mid-term accommodation, while broader housing affordability challenges are addressed through measures that increase residential supply.’
Why they shouldn’t be worried – for now
While Limehome may be controversial in some portions of Andalucia’s society, their business model will not come under threat under the current regional government.
The ruling Partido Popular is particularly pro-business and has shown a lukewarm desire to crackdown on tourist flats.
And with the party on track for a firm victory at regional elections next month, the status quo looks set to continue, at least for the next few years.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
