The Consell commissions a study to determine how many empty homes there are in Ibiza

Housing remains one of the main concerns shared by the Consell de Ibiza and the island’s social and economic stakeholders. “Housing is a recurring issue that we address at every dialogue table; we are concerned about the situation in Ibiza", said Vicent Marí, president of the Consell, after the social dialogue meeting held this Monday with business organisations and trade unions. “We have been tackling informal settlements since the very first meeting”, he added, referring to one of the key areas of action for public administrations.

“We start from the premise that workers with employment contracts must have decent living conditions and should never be living in settlements or overcrowded spaces”, Marí explained. “Everyone must make the greatest possible effort to ensure this does not worsen and that, eventually, this way of living is eliminated”.

Housing for workers

“There is work, but there is a lack of housing. Efforts must be made both by the administration and the private sector to build more homes”, Marí said. He referred to plans to develop strategic residential projects, buildable land and transition areas to enable the construction of affordable housing accessible to workers and residents. These homes would be aimed at people who have lived on the island for more than five years.

He also highlighted measures promoted by the Balearic Government to facilitate access to housing, such as the new law on strategic residential projects and the promotion of social housing, with around 388 homes planned in Ibiza.

The first vice-president and councillor for the fight against illegal practices, Mariano Juan, announced that the Consell has commissioned a study to determine how many empty homes exist on the island and where they are located, as this data is currently unavailable. The aim is to “promote policies that help bring these homes onto the residential market and thus ease the current situation”.

Another issue discussed was the possibility of using the PIAT (Tourism Intervention Plan), currently in an advanced drafting stage, to develop staff accommodation, seasonal worker residences and tourism schools. “These workers, who spend six months or less on the island, should have access to decent housing”, Marí explained. He also suggested using plots classified for tourism purposes—where no increase in tourist capacity is planned—to develop housing for seasonal workers.

“We have discussed the fight against illegal tourist rentals”, said Alfonso Rojo, who praised the measures being implemented to sanction properties used unlawfully for tourism.

Short-term measures

“Everyone knows these are not short-term solutions; we need a plan for them to materialise. But if we do not start, we will never get there”, Marí stated. He added that by July it will be clearer how many strategic projects will be presented and how many homes could be built in Ibiza. There is “a lot of work ahead,” but the goal is “to start seeing the effects of these legal changes to reverse this precarious situation”.

“There are no magical short-term solutions, but some measures are already being implemented”, he insisted. For example, some properties previously reported as illegal tourist rentals have joined the 'Safe Rental' programme to reduce their fines by up to 80%, thus returning to the residential market.

Marí also emphasised the role of companies in the short term, encouraging them to provide housing for their employees. Rojo noted that, according to a recent survey among Pimeef members, “around 35% of businesses already offer housing to their workers”. He urged employers to continue helping staff find accommodation, stressing that “the aim is not to make profit from rent, but to prevent employees from being discouraged or exploited by inflated prices and illegal agreements”.

José Antonio Roselló, vice-president of CAEB, pointed out that “this is a long-distance race; the housing shortage will not be solved overnight”. He also highlighted the impact of tackling illegal rentals, which has helped shift properties back into the conventional housing market.

Rent freeze debate

When asked about the possibility of freezing rents due for renewal this year, Marí said that rental prices “are not something we can regulate at an island level”. He added that there are “contradictory experiences” in places where such measures have been tried, and insisted that increasing supply is the priority: “If there is more supply, prices will undoubtedly fall. The problem is when there is no supply, which drives prices up”.

Consuelo López, general secretary of CCOO, stressed the need to support the most vulnerable: “We must help those who are left behind, ensuring they continue to receive social benefits and rental aid, because they are the ones who suffer the most during crises”. She also reiterated the union’s demand to cap rental prices, which she described as “completely out of control”.

Regarding subletting and speculation, Marí acknowledged that it is also a concern, particularly because it is less visible than informal settlements: “There are cases of many people living in a single flat”. He believes this issue must be addressed through local institutions and municipal registers to monitor occupancy and ensure decent living conditions.

Finally, he concluded that improving legal certainty will encourage more property owners to rent out their homes: “With greater guarantees—whether through business-backed schemes or programmes like Safe Rental—those who have had bad experiences may be willing to rent again”.

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