The Governing Council has approved the construction of 230 new homes and endowed apartments in the Irita area of Zarautz, through a collaboration agreement between the Department of Housing and Urban Agenda of the Basque Government and the Zarautz City Council. The project includes 130 Public Protection Housing units (VPO) for rent and 100 endowed apartments (AD) on a rotational basis for five years, with an estimated investment of 34.6 million euros.
Denis Itxaso, Minister of Housing and Urban Agenda, highlighted the cooperation between the two institutions, stating that the agreement will accelerate the supply of public housing in this municipality facing high residential pressure. "When institutions work together, make land available for public policy, and share a common goal, we are capable of transforming that collaboration into public housing," he said.
Under the agreement, the Zarautz City Council will cede free of charge to the Basque Government the full ownership of a 4,356 m² residential plot for four buildings, and a 1,644 m² plot for the endowed apartments building. The Department of Housing and Urban Agenda will also undertake urbanization works valued at 2.5 million euros, including road networks, open spaces, and replacing the current pedestrian walkway with a bridge suitable for two-way traffic.
This initiative builds upon public housing projects promoted over the last decade by both institutions in Zarautz, which have increased the public rental housing stock from 16 to 198 units, a rise of 1,137.5%. These include 17 VPOs in Aldapeta, 60 endowed apartments and 91 VPOs in Salberdin, 25 VPOs in Azken-Portu Lanpardo, and 5 VPOs in Iñurritza.
Of the 130 rental VPOs, 50% will be reserved for individuals under 36 years old, and 30% for middle-income households earning between 20,000 and 46,000 euros annually. The 100 endowed apartments will operate on a five-year rotational basis to meet temporary housing needs.
Furthermore, the Governing Council has authorized an addendum to the agreement with the Azkoitia City Council and Azkoitia Lantzen S.A. to promote 111 social housing units across four plots in Txalon Erreka, with 71 units on plot P4 and 40 distributed among plots P1, P2, and P3.
