The president of the API association of real-estate agents in the Balearics, José Miguel Artieda, says that he not only expects a new Partido Popular government to comply with what the party has promised but to also do so "relatively immediately". Moreover, he insists that "it is not enough to undo what has been done wrong so far, new measures must be activated". Fundamentally, he believes that the Council of Mallorca's territorial plan must be "deactivated" and that there is a change to the type of housing in order to get more of it onto the market.
Estate agents, developers, builders, architects are in general agreement as to what needs to be done in addressing housing issues in Mallorca and the Balearics - a simplification of administrative procedures, a policy of incentives, amendment to the classification of developable land, a relaxation of restrictions on the type of convertible or buildable housing, and a strong hand against squatters.
As to the Spanish government's new housing law, which the sector has criticised heavily, Luis Martín of the Proinba developers association believes that "the entire philosophy of the new law could end up resulting in nothing". The law delegates the application of measures such as a cap on rents in so-called stressed areas to regional governments. Marga Prohens of the PP has said that the party will not apply this.
Martín wants an end to "multi-legislation", which takes up far too much of everyone's time, while calling for policies that "take advantage of the little land we have". "We don't want to have to continue pulling our hair out trying to expand developable land." Above all, he stresses, "what we cannot do is do nothing".
He is of the view, as are others in the sector, that it would be ideal if there could be "a long-term political pact" so that that policies aren't potentially "dynamited" every four years after elections.
Hans Lenz of the ABINI association of national and international real estate agents argues that such a pact should be for at least twenty years "in order to avoid political ups and downs". He is one of those in the sector calling for new housing models and for there to be taller buildings so as to consume less land. The architects and the developers have been advocating building-up for some considerable time.
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