Malaga social housing application process penalises single people

Housing

The margin between the minimum and maximum annual income the current Lagoom Living call requires for applications is just 918 euros

Jesús Hinojosa

Following the opening of a new offer of social rental housing in one of the developments Lagoom Living is building west of the Teatinos university campus in Malaga, it has become clear that, in a way, the requirements penalise single applicants.

The main requirements concern the household's income, setting both a minimum expectation and a cap on maximum salary, which creates a tight economic margin.

The criteria for this offering of 91 social rental flats, with rents ranging from 508 to 512 euros per month, stipulate that applicants must demonstrate a minimum income of 23,500 euros per year per family or household, based on the previous fiscal year.

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  • Applicants must also adhere to maximum income limits per household. Due to the rental nature of these social flats, the income cannot exceed 2.5 times the IPREM (public indicator of income for multiple effects). However, a territorial coefficient, as stipulated by law, is applied to this amount, resulting in maximum income limits of 24,418.60 euros for a single applicant; 32,307.69 for two applicants; and 32,307.69 for three or more applicants.

    Many people applying alone who have done their calculations have realised that the financial margin for them is a mere 918 euros. In other words, they need to earn between 23,500 and 24,418 euros per year to be eligible for one of these two-bedroom flats.

    In response to inquiries from SUR, developer Lagoom Living said that the minimum and maximum salary limits are beyond their control, as they are imposed by the regulations governing them.

    The IMV (municipal housing institute) admitted that, in this specific case, the income threshold for those wishing to apply for these flats on their own is "very tight".

    However, the IMV pointed out that Andalusian law supports the minimum income requirement for eligibility for social rental housing to ensure that the established monthly payments are compatible with the financial means of future residents, preventing defaults.

    It is worth noting that the IMV itself is carrying a significant amount of unpaid rent in its social housing stock, due to still-high levels of tenant arrears. The latest financial statements from the municipal body show accumulated unpaid rent since 2014 of more than 30 million euros.

    This level of arrears is precisely what the authorities want to avoid in this new Lagoom development in the university area, hence the requirement for a minimum income.

    However, this condition also poses a barrier for individuals seeking to access one of these highly sought-after homes in the current housing crisis. A previous Lagoom project on the same site, comprising 62 semi-detached social housing units, received more than 7,000 applications. The current offer of 91 flats remains open until 26 June.