Navarre Households Face Displacement as Private Funds Acquire Former Social Housing
El Salto
- 66 families in Fitero and Cintruénigo, Navarre, face housing insecurity after former public social housing (VPO) transitioned to private equity and investment funds.
- 19 families in Fitero currently face eviction proceedings with no guaranteed renewal of rental contracts.
- Residents in Cintruénigo successfully halted evictions through collective organizing, securing long-term affordable rental agreements.
Property Status and Actors
- The housing units originally received significant public subsidies, tax incentives, and direct aid for construction over two decades ago.
- The properties have lost their official protected status and are now managed or owned by entities including Solvia, Cerberus, Banco Santander, Altamira, Global Pantelaria, and Apollo.
- Inhabitants report rising rents, poor building maintenance, and a lack of transparency regarding property ownership.
Government Response
- The government of Navarre acknowledges the broader issue, with approximately 600 former protected housing units now held by investment firms.
- Vice President Begoña Alfaro announced ongoing negotiations to repurchase these units to stabilize current tenants and expand the public rental stock.
- President María Chivite confirmed in the regional parliament that the government has allocated necessary funding to reclaim these properties.