The council, however, believes that the current program guidelines hinder the participation of many localities. The Councilor for Urban Planning and Environment, José Francisco Gozalvo, participated in a working meeting convened by the central Executive to address the cession of municipal land for this purpose.
The meeting was attended by the government delegate in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé; the president of Casa 47, Leire Iglesias; the government commissioner for the dana, Zulima Pérez; and representatives from about twenty affected municipalities.
According to the Torrent City Council, the program promoted by Casa 47 contemplates the free cession of municipal plots to promote affordable rental housing. The council values this measure as necessary to advance in housing reconstruction after the dana and facilitate access to housing for affected families, although it warns that its current design presents significant obstacles to its actual implementation.
“"From Torrent, we have exercised responsibility by proposing a viable solution, adjusted to our urban reality and housing needs, but we encounter requirements that, in practice, exclude many or almost all municipalities."
During the meeting, José Francisco Gozalvo defended Torrent's proposal, adjusted to the volume of housing foreseen in the call, but pointed out that one of the main problems is the requirement of a minimum surface area of 2,500 square meters for the plots. In the councilor's opinion, this requirement excludes viable proposals such as the one put forward by the municipality.
The councilor also added that “the requirement for plots of at least 2,500 square meters does not respond to the current situation of the municipalities. Reconstruction demands flexibility and adaptation, not rigidity.” He also warned that the deadline for submitting proposals, set until May 9, is tight due to the technical and administrative complexity required to prepare this type of initiative.
The Torrent City Council has therefore called for a review of certain criteria of the call, especially those related to the minimum surface area of the plots, to allow broader participation of affected municipalities and increase the real scope of the program.
“"We share the program's objective and want to be part of the solution, but it is necessary for the guidelines to adapt to the reality of the affected municipalities if this initiative is truly to be effective."
The council has finally reiterated its intention to continue defending measures that allow expanding the affordable housing stock in the city and responding to the needs arising after the dana.
