- Until now, only the lower floors could become tourist accommodations. The City Hall of Vitoria-Gasteiz has modified the regulations of the neighborhood in response to the request of the Alavesa Association of Tourist Accommodation. The Gasteiz Txiki neighbourhood association of the Old Part of Vitoria-Gasteiz has strongly criticised the measure.
The municipal government of jeltzale Gorka Uraran has taken a major decision in the Old Town of Vitoria-Gasteiz on housing: It will modify the Special Plan for Integrated Rehabilitation (PERI) of the Casco Viejo, enabling the transformation of complete buildings into tourist apartments. This can only be done with the lower floors – and with the upper floors, but in the case of having independent access, the condition is barely given in the neighborhood. In February, the municipality opened the deadline for implementing the BIPB's adaptations and that was when the Arabatur association proposed the adaptation, arguing that the neighborhood needs a "social, economic and commercial impulse." The BIPB will be adapted in the coming months, but the City Hall does not seem to have time to enter into force this summer.
Uraran explained that the municipal government adheres to the proposal of the association that promotes tourism: “We share Arabatur’s vision: tourist homes face desertification and neighborhood degradation.” The mayor has denied that the measure can raise the rent price: “I understand that rentals will not rise, because we move in very reasonable amounts, far below other cities.” It also denies that it can lead to a deepening of gentrification: "We promoted the rehabilitation of the neighborhood, the heritage of the medieval quarter and the regeneration of the neighborhood."
Neighbourhood Partnership, angry
Vitoria-Gasteiz Txiki has been very critical of the measure. The association of residents of the Casco Viejo neighborhood and other groups of the neighborhood have long denounced that housing is one of the main problems of the neighborhood –Zaharraz Harro! In the popular festivities the day “Housing in an emergency situation. They leave us on the street!”, on June 26.
Gasteiz Txiki has denounced that on many occasions he has called for municipal initiatives to give social use to empty houses and that this measure does the opposite: to leave what is a basic need at the disposal of the market and tourist companies. The association has also criticised the way in which the measure is adopted and the new regulation is announced through the media.