Construction has officially begun on 63 public housing units in the El Secadero neighbourhood of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, following a ceremony on Thursday to lay the first foundation stone. The project, backed by the Cabildo and the Spanish Government’s regional delegation, marks a significant step in tackling the island’s shortage of affordable housing.
With a budget of €9.39 million, the development is expected to be completed within 16 months. The new homes will offer energy-efficient living spaces with rents starting at €250 per month and averaging around €350 per month.
The aim is to provide secure, affordable housing options for low- to middle-income households, particularly those unable to access housing on the private market.
This is the first public housing initiative executed by the Gran Canaria Housing Consortium in over a decade. Authorities have also announced plans for the construction of a further 450 units, demonstrating the region’s determination to address the housing crisis.
During the ceremony, the president of the Cabildo, Antonio Morales, and the vice-president and housing councillor, Augusto Hidalgo, were joined by the mayor of Las Palmas, Carolina Darias. All three stressed the importance of the project from both a social and economic perspective.
The El Secadero development will include one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, each with garage spaces. The affordable rent prices, ranging from €250 for a 1-bedroom apartment to €440 per month for a 3-bedroom, are designed to suit working families who may have a regular income but still struggle with the high cost of housing in the city centre.
As part of a broader housing strategy, the Cabildo and the local council aim to deliver 1,000 new public housing units during the current term. This particular project has received partial funding from the European Union through the Next Generation EU recovery funds, amounting to approximately €2.48 million.
