Politics Podemos wants to expropriate the homes of banks and large owners if they have been empty for four years

Podemos wants to create a new tax for empty homes that even contemplates the possibility of expropriation if the owner leaves the house uninhabited for more than four years

Politics Podemos wants to expropriate the homes of banks and large owners if they have been empty for four years

Podemos wants to create a new tax for empty homes that even contemplates the possibility of expropriation if the owner leaves the house uninhabited for more than four years. The rate is designed for large holders -understood as those who have six or more properties-, as well as for banks and investment funds.

As detailed by the purple party in its framework program for the regional and municipal elections of the next 28-M, this new tax for empty houses would begin to be collected from the six months in which the property is uninhabited and would be 10 euros per square meter per year, with an increase of 50% from the tenth house and with another increase of 50% from the two years in which each dwelling is inhabited.

If this situation lasts longer and "the house is uninhabited for more than four years", the electoral program says that "there will be the possibility that the Administration pays the fair price automatically and acquires the house." In other words, he could expropriate it.

The tax is designed to "encourage the occupation" of empty houses and "penalize speculation on property." It can be done in different ways: based on a new tax, based on the value of empty homes or square meters, or through a surcharge on the IBI. "This tax should be applied in the cases of large holders and legal figures," the text explains at another time, which also opens the door to other owners by stating that "it could be extended to all types of property, taking into account exceptions and shortcomings." .

The program also raises taxes on tourists, sugary drinks, gambling or electronic commerce (the so-called 'Amazon tax'), but where it places the most emphasis is on housing regulation, where it talks about another new tax for those who want to sell their house before two years have elapsed since they bought it: unless there is a reason of force majeure, they will be charged a surcharge of 20% of the purchase price.

Podemos also wants to limit the rental price in those areas where the market is especially stressed due to rising prices or a lack of supply. His idea is that these areas are identified and prices are capped to prevent house prices from exceeding 30% of the average income in the area. This party is committed to promoting the indefinite rental contract, limiting tourist apartments and putting a stop to the creation of hotel beds (a maximum of 5% of the total number of homes in each neighborhood).

"In no case will evictions from the first home of vulnerable people without a housing alternative be allowed," proclaims the purple formation. To do this, it offers several solutions. The first is to provide non-paying renters with public housing in the area. If there is no offer available, the Administration may pay the rent to the owner from the funds of the State Housing Plan, "a solution that must be accepted if it is a large holder." Ultimately, the Administration would pay the rent of another house for the vulnerable person.

In a 41-page text, the purple formation proposes all kinds of measures to deprivatize -from nursing homes to moratoriums to end concerts in education and health- while committing to create numerous public organizations and services -a real estate company, a bank, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, public energy companies and even supermarkets-.

At a press conference, during the presentation of the framework program, the secretary of the Podemos Program and spokesperson for Unidas Podemos in Congress, Pablo Echenique, proposed yesterday to double the extraordinary tax on banks that the Government established at the end of 2022, which would pass from 4.8% to 9.6%, to protect Spanish families "from vultures", according to Europa Press.

Half of the collection would be used to set up a Social Responsibility Fund to help families and support vulnerable households, through which aid will be granted "to halve the rise in mortgages for these families."

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