It’s not the cheeriest statistic, but it’s an important one.
According to a report presented in mid-December 2025 by the Canary Islands Observatory of Social Rights, the region now ranks as the second autonomous community in Spain for structural housing emergency. The findings come from an in-depth review of the Canary Islands Government’s proposed 2026 budgets, and they raise some uncomfortable questions about where priorities are really landing.
Budgets rising, pressure still building
On the surface, public spending in the Canary Islands is going up. But the report suggests that higher budgets are not translating into a meaningful reduction in social and housing pressure.
The Observatory’s analysis is based on more than 30 indicators across multiple areas, including what it calls the Structural Emergency Index and an Ethical Budget Measure. Together, they paint a picture of a region where spending increases are failing to ease the underlying strain, particularly when it comes to housing access.
As one of the report’s contributors put it, if budgets are rising but emergency indicators are still climbing, then something clearly isn’t changing in practice.
A sharp rise in Presidency spending
One of the most striking findings relates to spending within the Presidency department. Compared with 2024, its budget allocation has increased by more than 500%.
The Observatory stresses that this does not necessarily point to mismanagement. Instead, it argues that spending is increasingly focused on direct subsidies and messaging control, rather than addressing the structural issues affecting everyday life for residents.
In blunt terms, the report suggests there is a growing gap between how money is being allocated and how people on the ground are actually experiencing housing insecurity.
Why this matters for Tenerife and beyond
Housing pressure is no abstract concept in the Canary Islands. It shows up in rising rents, limited long-term rental supply, overcrowding, and growing difficulty for local residents to stay in their own communities.
The Observatory has made it clear that this report is not just for public debate. It will be formally submitted to the Canary Islands Government, alongside a list of demands related to compliance with the region’s Statute of Autonomy.
Whether that leads to meaningful change remains to be seen.
But for anyone living in, investing in, or considering a move to Tenerife or the wider archipelago, it’s another reminder that housing here is no longer just a lifestyle conversation. It’s a structural issue, and one that isn’t going away quietly.
