More than 50 organisations from across the Canary Islands are expected to take part in a demonstration in La Laguna on Saturday, 27th June, calling for action over the growing housing crisis.

The march, organised by the Tenerife Tenants' Union, will begin at 11:30am from Parque Estudiante Javier Fernández Quesada and is expected to bring together social organisations, trade unions, neighbourhood groups, student associations, environmental organisations, feminist groups and cultural collectives.

According to the organisers, the protest marks the beginning of a broader campaign to demand stronger action on housing across the Canary Islands, where rising property prices and rents continue to place increasing pressure on local residents.

In a statement, the Tenerife Tenants' Union said housing costs have increased sharply over the past decade while wages have remained largely unchanged, making it increasingly difficult for many people to find somewhere affordable to live.

The organisation argues that the current housing situation is the result of long-term economic policies that have prioritised private investment over the needs of residents.

It claims that many working families are now spending an ever-larger proportion of their income on rent or are being forced to leave the towns and neighbourhoods where they grew up, while investment funds, banks, large property companies and private landlords continue to expand their property portfolios.

The union also says the housing crisis in the Canary Islands has been intensified by the growth of tourism. It points to the expansion of holiday lets, short-term rentals, foreign investment and the increasing treatment of housing as a financial asset, which it says has significantly reduced the supply of homes available for permanent residents.

Emergency Housing Plan

As part of the demonstration, organisers will present a 13-point Emergency Housing Plan aimed at tackling what they describe as a worsening housing emergency.

Among the proposals are the immediate declaration of "stressed housing areas", allowing rent controls to be introduced where legally applicable, tougher taxation on large owners of empty properties to encourage them back onto the market, and measures designed to increase the supply of affordable housing for local residents.

The demonstration is expected to be one of the largest housing protests held in Tenerife, highlighting growing concern over affordability and access to housing for people living in the islands.