Empordà region faces high levels of second residences

In the Empordà region of Spain, data from IDESCAT reveals that over 53% of homes are second residences, with the Baix Empordà and Alt Empordà areas seeing similar trends. In Port de la Selva, approximately 81% of dwellings are non-habitual residences, whereas Vila-sacra maintains a much lower rate of 7%.

In the municipality of Platja d’Aro, Mayor Maurici Jiménez noted that only 1,400 of the 3,000 existing tourist housing licenses (HUT) are currently in use. Jiménez argued that reducing these licenses would not solve the local housing crisis. Instead, he proposed focusing on the 370 vacant properties in the municipality, suggesting the council act as a real estate agent to provide legal security for owners to move these properties into the rental market.

Many current licenses are held by middle-class owners who use them as second homes for only a few weeks a year to cover property taxes. Due to current regulations, new developments will not be eligible for tourist licenses, a factor the mayor believes will not resolve the broader issue of housing access in the area.