The Ombudsman calls for unity to tackle the housing crisis

The Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo, called on Wednesday for social and institutional unity to tackle the housing crisis in Spain.

This took place at Roque de los Muchachos, on La Palma, where ombudsmen from the various autonomous communities gathered to address this issue in depth.

Speaking to the media, Gabilondo argued that housing «is an issue we have been working on for many, many years», not just «in the current context» in which it has become «a crucial, priority issue for the Spanish people».

La Palma: Ombudsmen discuss Spain's housing crisis

And in case there were any doubts, he emphasised: «We decided on this topic about twelve or thirteen months ago, so that it would be this one» which will be the sole focus of these coordination and collaboration meetings between the ombudsmen’s offices.

«Unfortunately, reality has confirmed that this is a matter of emergency or urgency,» Gabilondo remarked.

Ombudsman services aim to set out non-partisan guidelines

The conclusions to emerge from this meeting on La Palma are in no way intended to «interfere with political processes» nor do they seek to «be partisan or sectarian», as the organisers are aware, and «highly responsible», that Spain is in the run-up to an election.

«But that won’t stop us from saying what we really think needs to be done on the issue of housing,» and from reaching some conclusions at this meeting in La Palma.

«We do not make recommendations; we are not a sect that has gathered here to tell Spain what it has to do. But we do offer some guidance and suggest the direction in which this matter should go, a matter which all the polls indicate is the top priority for the Spanish people,» argued Gabilondo.

However, the Ombudsman has stated that «surveys are no longer even necessary» because, in these institutions, «we receive such a large number of complaints» from people in vulnerable situations, against a backdrop of «so much uncertainty about how to proceed».

«We are thinking of younger people, who are calling for this issue to be addressed in one way or another, each in their own way,» Gabilondo also said.

Hence his appeal, «without interfering in politics», «to society as a whole, because these issues can only be resolved through coordination and collaboration between all levels of government».

Because «if government departments start blaming one another, well, that will be very interesting, but it will be interesting for them, not for the public. So the first call is also a call for us all to work together in a spirit of agreement», he insisted.

Ángel Gabilondo has pointed out that difficulties in accessing housing «are not uncommon in the West», and that this housing crisis is the result of a convergence of «interests» and «priorities», in the sense that «there is no public housing available to rent».

Canary Islands Ombudswoman focuses on dialogue and consensus

The Ombudsman for the Canary Islands, Lola Padrón, has expressed her gratitude to Ángel Gabilondo for his efforts to ensure that this conference takes place on La Palma, organised «in a spirit of mutual agreement and collaboration, whilst each ombudsman’s office respects its own differences».

Padrón has described this forum as «a space for dialogue, reflection, communication, agreement and disagreement», but one where consensus is ultimately reached.

She has indicated that the topics and venue for the next conference of Spain’s ombudsmen’s offices will be decided today, and she is confident that the document resulting from the meeting in La Palma will serve as a «basis for discussing and resolving a problem that is currently affecting a large proportion of the Spanish population».