EH Bildu proposes to increase the percentages of protected housing for rent

The parliamentary group of EH Bildu proposes not to reduce the percentage of protected housing that is built while increasing the park for social rent, as it has done in its amendments to the proposed Housing Urgent Measures Act promoted by PNV and PSE, which began at the end of June with opposition from all other groups.

This is one of the 47 proposals that the coalition has registered with this legislative initiative in the House. Once the deadline for amendments has expired, these contributions from the groups will be discussed in a report which will have to be ratified in committee and then debated and voted on in plenary, at which the law will be adopted by the majority of the PNV and the PSE in the Basque Parliament.

EH Bildu MP Xabier Astigarraga explained at a press conference the content of the amendments and criticized the fact that the proposed law is not intended to significantly increase the public housing stock or strengthen public intervention in the sector, but is designed to ensure "greater profitability for private promoters."

It has also expressed concern that the increase in the allocation of housing in the 2026 autonomous budgets will "end up in the hands of speculators".

The PNV and PSE proposal makes it possible for municipalities to reduce the percentage of protective housing to be included in each new private housing promotion, from 75% to 60%, and for rent to be 20% on urbanisable land and 10% on urban land.

On the one hand, EH Bildu proposes that 75% be allocated to protected housing and half, i.e. 37.5%, to rent at least on urbanisable land and 20% on urban land.

Astigarraga has stressed that protected rental housing must be a priority because the imbalance between those built in Etxebide and the plaintiffs is "obvious."

The Sovereign Coalition advocates shortening urban planning deadlines for housing promotion, as provided for in the Act, but warns that it must be done in a "proportionate" manner and not in a generalized manner. To this end, it proposes two exceptions: when it is promoted by a public administration and when in a private one the promoter undertakes to exceed the legal minimum of protected housing.

Increase spending and declare the whole of the Basque Country a tense area

ELA has urged the Basque Government to raise public spending on housing to 2% of GDP, as well as to declare the whole of the Basque Country a tense area, and has urged it to "reverse" what has been proposed by jeltzales and socialists.

The union considers it "essential" to change legislation, radically change the current housing model and allocate more financial resources to this area.

In its approach, ELA has called for the Basque Government to take "real leadership in housing" in coordination with deputies and municipalities; to build more protected housing for rent; to declare the whole of the Basque Country as a tense area without exception; to mobilise 45,000 vacant properties for rent and to control tourist housing and temporary leases.