Benalmadena targets empty homes to increase long-term rentals in housing crunch

Benalmadena has launched a push against vacant properties in the face of accommodation shortages. Local authorities unveiled a fresh study pinpointing empty homes across the town. Officials hope to somehow unlock these units for stable, long-duration rentals and so ease rocketing housing pressures in the area.

Public-driven initiative takes centre stage

Participatory budgeting saw the idea first proposed back in 2025, when residents voted to prioritise tackling unoccupied dwellings with so little available currently for rent. Quesada y Pastor Consultores handled a detailed analysis in which their work maps out vacant properties by neighbourhood while paying special attention to those ripe for re-entry into the rental market.

Councillors gathered with Stop Desahucios representatives (the anti-eviction advocacy group) at the Casa de la Cultura on March 14 while Benalmadena council led the discussions. Attendees explored the findings and brainstormed next moves to activate idle housing stock and get it back on the market for rental.

Focus on long-term rental solutions

Experts are hoping to identify specifically why so many properties sit empty and which ones could join the stable rental pool. Often in Spain, in the background of an empty property, there is a family will that has stalled due to expensive legal issues. Future proposals will outline practical steps to mobilise these homes as increased availability promises better access for locals facing tight markets rental markets.

Benalmadena is struggling with broader issues. Earlier 2026 reports flagged over 8,000 holiday rentals claiming 17 per cent of total stock in the town, mostly coastal. Complementary measures include potential IBI surcharges on prolonged vacancies and curbs on new tourist licences. This latest effort complements those by concentrating on private empty units rather than building new public stock.

Collaboration signals strong council commitment

Partnerships with social groups like Stop Desahucios are giving an appearance of transparency to these public proceedings. Authorities are stressing that joint work is being employed to hammer out policies matching real community needs. Improved long-term rental options could relieve affordability strains in such a tourist-heavy area.

It is hoped that success here might inspire similar drives elsewhere along Spain’s costas, where empty homes coexist with housing shortages.