Lanzarote gets €5 million to build 565 homes – three times Fuerteventura’s funding

Both island councils allocate roughly €5 million to housing programmes. Lanzarote’s strategy focuses mainly on purchase and construction, while Fuerteventura directs most of its investment toward rehabilitation.

The Canary Islands Housing Plan 2020‑2025 envisions 6,000 homes for the entire archipelago. Although recent years have seen an acceleration, the record of 35,000 homes built in 2008 remains far out of reach.

Direct Subsidy for Lanzarote

• The Government of the Canary Islands has granted a direct subsidy of €5,537,657.94 to the Cabildo of Lanzarote for the acquisition of 76 homes in the municipality of Yaiza.
• The funding is part of the Canary Islands Housing Plan 2020‑2025 and is processed through the Canary Islands Housing Institute (ICAVI).
• The Cabildo will provide additional financing equal to the subsidy. Once the purchase is completed, the homes will be transferred to the public rental stock, aiming to give people and families with limited access to the private market a decent home.

The initiative seeks to increase the supply of affordable public rentals and improve living conditions for vulnerable groups, aligning with the regional goal of social and territorial cohesion.

565 Public Housing Units in the Pipeline for Lanzarote

• The Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Mobility reports 565 public housing units in various stages of execution and planning.
• ICAVI currently manages 201 homes in the Los Geranios (Arrecife) project and plans 88 additional homes (46 in Arrecife, 42 in Yaiza), plus the 76 homes from the new subsidy.
• The public company Visocan has a pending tender for a 200‑home promotion in Los Geranios.

176 Public Housing Units in the Pipeline for Fuerteventura

• The Canary Islands Government indicates 176 public housing units are currently being processed in Fuerteventura—less than one‑third of Lanzarote’s total.

New‑Construction Projects (ICAVI)

• 99 new homes in Puerto del Rosario:
  • 75 protected homes under construction (two blocks of 28 homes on El Bernegal street in El Matorral, plus 47 homes in the Buenavista neighbourhood).
  • 24 homes planned for the Rosa Vila neighbourhood.

Projects in La Oliva

• Two promotions totaling 125 units:
  • 77 homes on Palangre street in Corralejo (ICAVI).
  • 48 homes in the Panorama Tres Islas area (VISOCAN).

€5 Million for Housing in Fuerteventura, Mostly for Rehabilitation

• In addition to new construction, the government reports about 100 protected homes slated for rehabilitation.
• A Cabildo communiqué raises the rehabilitation target to 581 homes, spread across the historic quarters of Corralejo and Cotillo (La Oliva) and the 90‑91 homes in Puerto del Rosario.

Diverging Strategies

• Lanzarote: Cabildo and regional government focus on purchase and construction of new housing.
• Fuerteventura: Larger funds are allocated to rehabilitating existing housing.

Both island councils allocate roughly €5 million to housing programmes. The Cabildo of Fuerteventura earmarks €3.1 million for the Residential Rehabilitation Environment Projects (ERRP).

Through agreements with municipalities, the State, the Canary Government, and Next Generation EU funds, the rehabilitation of 581 homes in the historic districts of Corralejo, Cotillo, and Puerto del Rosario is enabled.

The Cabildo also details rehabilitation actions in Valle de Santa Inés (Betancuria), La Oliva capital, and the Fabelo neighbourhood of Puerto del Rosario, contributing almost €600,000.

All housing actions in Fuerteventura concentrate in Puerto del Rosario and La Oliva, mirroring Lanzarote’s focus on Arrecife and Yaiza. The lack of programmes in the other twelve municipalities of the two eastern islands may stem from limited municipal involvement in providing land or proposing acquisition and rehabilitation agreements.

Nearly 6,000 Homes Planned in the 2020‑2025 Government Plan

• The Canary Islands Housing Plan 2020‑2025 aims to increase the protected housing stock to 5,971 homes.
• 3,634 new protected homes are slated for construction:
  • 63.70 % (2,315 homes) in the public rental regime.
  • 36.30 % (1,319 homes) in the private rental regime.

To boost the protected rental pool, the plan targets 2,337 homes through various programmes:

• 894 homes under the state plan.
• 450 homes via the private VPO promotion programme (rental regime).
• 600 homes through the Vacant Homes programme.

Record‑Breaking Construction in 2008

• In 2024, the Canary Government reported over 4,000 homes built, breaking a decade‑long trend of roughly 1,100 homes per year.
• This figure is far below the 35,000 homes constructed in 2008, underscoring the need for continued effort.

“The so‑called strategy 360º consists of a series of regulations aimed at reducing paperwork and accelerating processes, two decree laws that have allowed us to reactivate public housing construction with unprecedented figures in recent years and to mobilise projects stalled for a decade,” said Pablo Rodríguez, Minister of Public Works, Housing and Mobility.

“This effort also aims to generate a structural change that enables sustained progress in housing, leaving behind the regulatory immobility that had limited development in recent years.”