Housing Decree. Cartoon dated 28 September 2026 in CTXT
Translation of the cartoon: “Tomorrow we’ll find out whether it’s a decree or a decrepit”
The clock is ticking; in a few hours’ time the details of the housing decree will be revealed, (read: a new temporary stopgap measure to try and appease the masses) which the Government has promised to take to the Council of Ministers, and there is much talk about the draft – whether it will include VAT on holiday lettings and stable tenancy agreements, a ban on evictions until 2028, penalties for empty properties and minor tax breaks for tenants and landlords.
On Monday, all sorts of reports have been circulating, ranging from claims that Junts, ERC and the PNV are open to the decree with certain reservations – saying that if the government is going to tackle vulture funds, that’s fine, but that property owners should be given tax incentives. Meanwhile, the Tenants’ Union maintains that “either rent-seeking goes or the Government goes”, that not just any decree will do, and that if speculation is not put to an end, they will remain camped out.
Sumar also wants action to be taken against vulture funds, amongst other things, and appears to be on the verge of distancing itself from the issue when it states: “ We are a long way from finalising a decree. The measures proposed so far do not address the majority of the housing movement’s demands. That’s not the way forward.”
Nothing new from the PP and Vox, who continue with their habit of not having to think before putting forward any proposals and are once again calling for elections – just as they do as a matter of course whenever any problem arises, however serious. Ayuso, like any self-respecting Trump-style thug, spouted a string of nonsense to ensure we don’t forget her intellectual poverty.
As the minutes tick by, the vultures at Urbagestión have agreed to let Maricarmen, the 87-year-old woman they evicted, return to what used to be her home at a rent similar to the previous one – around 500 euros, including service charges. This demonstrates several things we already knew: that they could have avoided the despicable act of kicking her out, and that public pressure and social movements have forced a logical and viable solution that various authorities have been unwilling to achieve. Pending whether or not the evicted woman accepts the new terms, the issue that remains unresolved is the widespread and persistent problem of access to housing for the vast majority of people, for whom there is still no deal to accept.
The huge housing crisis was bound to blow up – we all knew it. What we still don’t know is just how far the shockwave will reach.
