How to obtain social housing and what are the requirements?

In Spain, social housing has various names depending on the level of protection and regulation (official protection, VPO, VPPA, protected housing, etc.). It is intended to provide housing for those whose economic situation does not allow them to obtain housing under other conditions. What is it? How can one gain access to it? This article discusses these topics.

What is housing with official protection?

Social or affordable housing is priced below the market rate. Additionally, it has certain characteristics (size, location, etc.), and applicants must meet specific requirements to gain access to it. This housing can only be used as permanent residence, either for rent or ownership. Furthermore, it can be of two types:

Housing with official state protection.

This is housing that is promoted by the government and allocated to its residents through a public lottery (subject to certain requirements).

Housing with official protection from private developers.

This housing is built by construction companies or cooperatives that receive government subsidies to offset the limited sale or rental price.

Everything about social housing.

Social housing has a number of features that distinguish it from private housing:

• Permanent residence:It should be a permanent residence for its occupants. If another use is discovered, such as a second home, a penalty will be imposed. This means that residents cannot have another place of residence and must be registered in the autonomous community of the house.
• Limited price:Its selling or rental price is set by the government and must always be lower than the price in the free market. To access it, families are required to have a certain income level according to the Public Income Indicator with multiple effects.
• You cannot act at your own discretion.That is, it cannot be transferred to another person until the period set by the relevant administrative authority has expired, which usually ranges from 10 to over 30 years. Additionally, it is worth noting that subsequent transfers may be restricted by regulatory requirements.
• Tax benefits and assistance:This type of housing has tax benefits and assistance available to help obtain it (loans, subsidies, etc.).

To apply for social housing, you need to be registered in the VPO applicants' registry of your autonomous community in order to participate in the public lottery. Requirements, assistance, amounts, and other issues may vary from one community to another. Check the housing catalogs by autonomous communities.