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The regional governments will issue a census of empty subsidized homes.

Yesterday, the minister of Infrastructure, Ana Pastor, announced the creation of a census of empty subsidized homes with the information of the regional governments that should be ready at the end of the year. “In a few weeks we will start the bilateral meetings with the regional governments and the register should be ready in September or October”, the secretary of State for Infrastructures, Transport and Housing, Rafael Catalá, explains.

Some regions, such as Castilla-La Mancha, already have a registry of empty subsidized homes, according to the minister Marta García. Others, such as Asturias, indicate that the only problem could be in the private developments which have already been sold and that later have become empty.

Once the registry is finished, it will join the registry of active rentals. The Government will then have the possibility of assigning these properties to social rentals. The Government will assign 2421 million Euros to the National Plan for the promotion of rentals, refurbishments, urban renovation and regeneration, for the period 2013-2016, which includes aid for rentals of subsidized homes and grants for the refurbishment of private homes. 1500 million Euros will go to rentals and 620 to refurbishments.

The Government will also pay a maximum of 200 Euros per month for the rent of low income families that rent properties for less than 600 Euros per month. Apart from the 2421 million Euros granted by the government, who assumes 70% of the total cost, the regional governments will contribute with 3460 million Euros, that will divided into the four years of duration of the plan.

According to the Ministry, this expense would help to boost the employment, as most of it will subsidize refurbishment activities, very intensive in labor. During this period, and according to the official calculations offered by the minister yesterday, this aid would help create 32000 direct jobs, which would reach 105.000 indirect ones.

One of the novelties of the plan is that the rental subsidized properties and the grants will be maintained even if the affected party moves to another region “in order to facilitate the labor mobility”, as declared by the minister Pastor. However, the granting of aids will not be changed, as they will be granted in the same proportion as in the last plan.

Source: Expansión