Are Malaga’s ‘Minipiso’ apartments for the young so bad?

Malaga council has come under fire for its proposal to build ‘minipisos’, small apartments for young people hoping to get a foot on the first rung of the property ladder amid a property price boom of a size which has not been seen in the last 17 years.

In all parts of the nation (and in Europe), protests by groups demanding affordable housing were common in the last two years. Many blamed property speculation, gentrification and tourists for the problems. Malaga and Costa del Sol, for example, have been victims of their success.

As is always the case with stories of success, everyone wants to be a part. The Malaga Province is a magnet to those who want to invest, raise their families, or live there. Costa del Sol is the best place to live and those who want to live there will naturally do so.

It’s a fact that the supply of housing has not kept pace with demand and culture changes. In the past, sharing accommodation was considered normal, especially for those who were lower income. Does no one remember watching ‘Friends’ or ‘The Big Bang Theory’? Today, though, more and more opt for single living as part of their ‘right’ to a dignified home.

Everyone deserves a decent home. Is a Malaga ‘minipiso’ not it?

In 2023, constitutional change was undertaken in Spain to include the ‘Right to a Home’. Mostly everyone was in favour of this fundamental basic, but with no plan on how to house those without a home on the table and no clarification as to what denoted ‘homeless’, as noble a concept as it was, the inevitable protests for the ‘right’ was interpreted by each individual differently. When? When? Where? The protests started.

As pragmatic as ever, Francisco de la Torre sought solutions to this housing shortage, and hasn’t stopped receiving criticism about it.

Mayor Francisco de la Torre has proposed the construction of “minipisos” – compact apartments ranging from 35 to 45 square metres, aimed at making homeownership more accessible for young people and families.

Property prices in the city of Malaga have surged, with average homes costing around €250,000 and climbing to €350,000 when including extras like storage units or parking spaces. Housing prices in Malaga rose by 12.4% over the past quarter. Sales in March increased by 40%. “It’s an outrageous situation,” one member of de la Torre‘s cabinet remarked, noting that the rental market is equally strained, with dwindling stock and rents rising far faster than wages.

Influx of non-Malaga workers could use a ‘minipiso’

The demand for housing in Malaga has been further fueled by the influx of workers coming from outside Malaga. It has been stressed that building smaller, more affordable homes priced between €100,000 and €150,000 is a “natural” and pragmatic solution.

He pointed out that other countries have adopted similar strategies to address similar problems.

This plan is already in action and involves the selection 24 municipal plots throughout Malaga’s districts. The Housing Department has selected 24 plots that could house up to 2,000 minipisos. Urban Planning Department prepares a dossier that could be approved by the full plenary of June. Opposition parties still complain about the small size of a minimum dwelling.

The minipisos offer a way to become a homeowner in a city that is becoming increasingly unaffordable, such as any major European city of 2025.