The Perfect Storm: Fuerteventura's Housing Crisis and the First 'Squatter' in Our Community
- brentcutler
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
The island we love is facing an unprecedented crisis. With the arrival of nearly 3 million tourists annually and strict building restrictions, Fuerteventura is suffering from a severe housing shortage. The reality is undeniable: high profit margins have pushed many owners toward holiday rentals, meaning local workers can no longer afford a home on current salaries.
This social pressure has triggered a direct and dangerous consequence for property owners and investors: a drastic increase in the squatting of empty properties.
Unfortunately, this is no longer just a statistic on the news. We now have a squatter in our own community.
Why Ineffective Administration Makes Us an Easy Target
The phenomenon of squatting (okupación) thrives where there is vulnerability, lack of control, and apathy. When a community of owners suffers from an incompetent administration—as became glaringly evident during our last disastrous Annual General Meeting—squatters take notice.
The lack of proactive security, the continuous lack of control over access, and the absence of rapid response protocols make our building a perfect target. Spanish law allows the police to act swiftly to evict squatters only if an illegal occupation is reported by the owner or their legally authorized representative within the first 48 hours.
Make no mistake: your apartment could easily be next.
If you are out of the country and a squatter breaks into your property, time is your worst enemy. If you have not legally delegated your proxy to us, we have zero authority to engage the police on your behalf. By the time you find out, book a flight, and arrive in Fuerteventura, that crucial 48-hour window will have permanently closed. Removing them after that point can take years of exhausting, expensive legal battles.
It Is Time to Protect Our Investment
We cannot sit idly by waiting for the problem to multiply. As owners, we have the legal power to shield our building. We need to pass urgent and strict resolutions to:
Control and restrict mass holiday rentals to prevent the continuous and uncontrolled transit of strangers through our corridors.
Improve structural security and access control in all communal areas.
Stop illegal alterations (such as unauthorized balcony enclosures) that devalue the prestige, aesthetics, and market value of our property.
To approve these vital protection measures, the Ley de Propiedad Horizontal (Horizontal Property Act) requires a 3/5 majority. With 106 apartments in the complex, we need at least 64 votes in favor. Historically, low turnout has paralyzed us. We can no longer afford that luxury.
Your Vote is Our Shield: Delegate Your Representation
We know that many of you reside abroad or on the mainland and are not in Fuerteventura year-round. But physical distance must not mean leaving your investment completely unprotected.
As your elected El Portavoz - the voice of the owners, my sole objective is to safeguard our assets and restore the legality and order that the current administration has abandoned. If you will not be present at the upcoming meetings, it is absolutely vital that you delegate your proxy vote.
Doing so is quick, legal, and it is the only way we will reach the necessary votes to expel the incompetence, authorize immediate police action if your property is targeted, and secure our homes.
Download the document and send the completed form to info@ourcommunityvoice.net
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