Malaga City Council has pledged to take action over the growing number of people living in caravans, motorhomes and converted vans across the city, as the housing crisis continues to price residents out of the property market.
Councillors have unanimously approved plans to carry out a census of people living in vehicle settlements and develop a dedicated social intervention programme aimed at helping affected families.
The move comes amid growing concern over sprawling caravan communities that have emerged in several parts of the city, particularly around Sacaba Beach, where hundreds of vehicles have created what locals describe as a makeshift village just metres from the luxury Malaga Towers development.
The proposal, put forward by the Socialist opposition group, warns of an informal rental market in which converted vans and vehicles are being leased out for between €300 and €400 per month, often without legal protections or minimum living standards.
According to councillors, many of the people living in these settlements are employed, paying taxes and working in Malaga but can no longer afford conventional housing.
‘We are talking about people who work, contribute to society and have built their lives in Málaga, yet have been expelled from the housing market,’ the motion states.
Settlements have reportedly appeared in areas including Teatinos, around the city’s sports arena, near major shopping centres and healthcare facilities, and most visibly at Sacaba Beach.
Census to reveal scale of the problem
Under the agreement, Malaga’s Social Rights department will work alongside housing officials to assess the scale of the phenomenon and identify the needs of those affected.
The planned census will gather information on the number of residents living permanently in caravans and vehicle homes, their employment status, social circumstances and whether children, elderly people or dependent relatives are living in the settlements.
The council has also agreed to improve coordination between social services, Local Police and national security forces to ensure both welfare support and public safety.
The decision comes on the same day that the Bank of Spain identified Malaga as the least affordable major city in Spain for housing.
According to the bank’s latest annual report, buyers now need the equivalent of 10 years of average income to purchase a home in Malaga – the highest figure among Spain’s major urban areas.
For renters, the situation is equally severe.
Households in Malaga are now spending 34.5% of their income on rent, the highest proportion among Spain’s largest cities and well above the commonly accepted affordability threshold of 30%.
By comparison, renters in Barcelona spend 32.4% of their income on housing, while Madrid stands at 31.6% and Sevilla at 31.3%.
The council says the objective is not simply to document the settlements but to develop what it describes as ‘dignified responses’ for those affected.
