Compiled with the help of artificial intelligence, based on Spanish-language information. Source below the article.
Clavijo brands Spanish rental decree a ‘nonsense’
The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, has described as an “utter nonsense” the second decree pushed through by the Spanish Government to establish the automatic extension of certain rental contracts, and has defended Coalición Canaria’s (CC) vote against it, arguing that the measure could produce the opposite of the intended effect and reduce the supply of homes available to rent.
Clavijo made these remarks on Saturday, after being officially designated as Coalición Canaria’s candidate for the Presidency of the regional government during the party’s National Political Council meeting.
Support for the first decree, objections to the second
The Canary Islands president drew a distinction between this second decree and the first one approved by the Spanish Government. As he explained, Coalición Canaria did initially back the measures because, in his view, they offered guarantees to small property owners and protection for tenants in vulnerable situations.
However, he questioned the measures relating to automatic renewals and the compensation provided for in the second decree. “It seemed to us an utter nonsense that would achieve the opposite effect, namely pushing homes out of the rental market,” he said.
Clavijo laments confrontational climate over housing
The president of the Canary Islands also lamented the climate of confrontation surrounding access to housing and criticised the Spanish Government for failing, in his assessment, to secure a broader agreement with the various political forces to tackle the problem after eight years. “After eight years, the Spanish Government could have negotiated and worked together,” he said.
Clavijo identified the shortage of housing as one of the main problems currently affecting Spain and stated that more than 800,000 homes would be needed to make it easier for the population to access the residential market. His comments come amid intense political and social debate over rental prices, the scarcity of available housing and the measures that the various administrations should adopt to expand residential supply.
Defending the regional government’s housing record
Asked about criticism from social groups and protesters who question the regional government’s handling of housing, Clavijo defended the measures adopted by the Canary Islands Government during the current parliamentary term. Among them, he cited initiatives aimed at speeding up the legal reclassification of land, accelerating the processing of urban planning licences and facilitating the construction of new homes through the Canary Islands Investment Reserve (RIC).
He also highlighted the updating of construction cost modules with the aim of incentivising the private sector to promote affordable housing. According to the Canary Islands president, more than 4,000 public homes are currently under construction across the islands.
Clavijo also stated that the Canary Islands has gone from building fewer than 1,000 homes a year in 2023 to expecting more than 6,000 homes in execution in 2026, combining public and private development.
No ‘magic wands’ on housing, says Clavijo
The president of the Canary Islands acknowledged, however, that solving the housing problem will take time and declined to commit to immediate solutions. “We are not going to promise magic wands, we are not going to deceive people, we are not going to tell them that in six months or a year we will build 800,000 homes,” he said.
Clavijo admitted that it is a “complicated” problem, although he argued that the regional government is allocating resources and applying, within its powers, the measures it considers possible. “We have put absolutely everything within our reach and everything the legal system allows us into practice,” Clavijo concluded.
Official figures include unfinished homes
For now, the Canary Islands Government’s own official data show that the figures announced by the regional executive include homes that are not yet finished. According to the public housing viewer presented by the regional government in June 2026, the recorded stock reached 4,033 homes, but that figure included completed, under-construction and planned homes. Specifically, 1,966 were in execution and a further 1,819 remained at the planning stage, while the remainder corresponded to developments already completed.
The contrast also affects compliance with earlier plans. The Canary Islands Housing Plan 2020-2025 envisaged the creation of 5,971 new homes, with planned investment of more than 664 million euros. As of June 2026, the regional government itself maintained that the final evaluation of that plan was still being drawn up.
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