The Mayor of Salobreña, together with representatives of other municipalities, signed an accord with the Junta de Andalucía entitled, Programa Andaluz en Defensa de la Vivienda.

The programme guarantees the development and application of counselling, intermediation and protection for those facing eviction from their property as a consequence of not being able to meet their mortgage commitments.

The Mayor, Gonzalo Fernández Pulido, said, “Social Services will urgently draw up a report on the social and economic situation of those that request it, to be able to offer those that have already been evicted – and meet specific requirements – a public housing or social rent.” By ‘social rent’ he is referring to a low rental price in line with the person’s income.

The Junta representative, Elena Cortés, explained how the decree issue by the Junta has enabled the corresponding departments to act in defence of citizens. She is referring to the radical move by the Junta to expropriate, temporarily, housing owned by banks that are empty. This move, strongly criticised by the Central Government, has been echoed by the autonomous government of the Canary Islands.

Sra. Cortés finished by stating, “The decree places itself where it should be; on the side of the victims.

(News: Salobrena, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)