A heated debate has erupted in Málaga over the allocation of new rent-capped apartments located near the Teatinos university campus. More than 7,000 people have applied for the 62 units, clearly highlighting the severe shortage of affordable housing in the city. For many local residents, this event has become a stark indicator of how difficult it is today to find suitable accommodation at a reasonable price, especially when it comes to modern buildings with garages and swimming pools.
According to data published by Lagoom Living and the municipality, interest in these apartments has reached record levels: each unit has attracted over a hundred applicants. The reason lies not only in appealing living conditions, but also in the unusual selection criteria. Applicants must have a minimum monthly income of €2,106, with the maximum income for a single person set at €4,474. For couples, this threshold rises to €5,923. This approach has sparked a wave of criticism, as the average income in Málaga, according to INE, is significantly lower than these figures.
Criteria and response
The publication of the preliminary list of applicants sparked a strong reaction among local politicians and the public. Opposition representatives point out that these conditions effectively exclude young professionals and low-income families from the process. According to several experts, the new housing allocation scheme is geared toward affluent tenants rather than those who truly need support. As reported by El Pais, many city residents believe the authorities are ignoring the real needs of the population, prioritizing financial gain instead.
At the same time, Lagoom Living emphasizes that the project was conceived as part of a large-scale program for the development of the district and the creation of a comfortable living environment. The company notes that the apartments feature spacious layouts, modern communal areas, and a high level of energy efficiency. However, even these advantages have not eased tensions surrounding the question of housing accessibility for the majority of city residents.
Comparison with other projects
In parallel with this project, the municipality recently completed the application process for another batch of 140 apartments in the same district. Competition here was slightly lower—62 applications per apartment—which still indicates strong demand. According to RUSSPAIN.COM, a similar trend is seen in other major cities across the country, where job growth has not led to tangible improvements in the rental market. The article on the impact of employment on housing accessibility delves into the reasons behind this paradox in detail.
In the coming months, Lagoom Living plans to launch another round of apartment allocations, this time with more flexible income requirements. According to the municipality, the new units will be available to families with incomes below the current threshold, which could help ease some of the pressure. However, experts warn that even with increased supply, demand for affordable housing in Malaga and other cities in Andalusia will remain high.
The future of the rental market
The Lagoom Living project follows a long-term rental model: the company builds homes and transfers them to its subsidiary Sogeviso for management for 75 years. This approach has already proven effective in Madrid, where similar schemes have increased the supply of affordable housing, but have not always made it truly accessible for low-income families. In Malaga, opinions are mixed: on one hand, modern residential complexes are emerging; on the other, many residents still cannot afford to rent, even at reduced rates.
According to El Pais, the demand for the new apartments is driven not only by their features, but also by a general shortage of quality housing in the region. In recent years, Andalusia has seen a steady rise in rental prices, especially in major cities and tourist areas. As a result, even price-capped apartments become the subject of fierce competition among potential tenants.
In recent years, Spain has seen a growing number of projects to build housing with capped rental rates, especially in regions with high demand. Similar initiatives in Barcelona and Madrid have already led to the emergence of new residential complexes, yet the issue of housing affordability for young professionals and low-income families remains unresolved. In some cases, new projects have sparked protests and criticism from public organizations, which are calling for a review of selection criteria and an increase in the share of truly affordable housing. In Andalusia, such debates are becoming increasingly evident amid rising prices and a shrinking rental market supply.
