Alejandro Marichal: "This is the result of a responsible and meaningful housing policy. We don't make empty announcements; we carry out real projects that transform the lives of our residents."
Lucía Jiménez: “After more than 40 years, this development needed a major overhaul. It's not just about beautifying, but also ensuring that these homes will be safe and durable for decades.”
The First Deputy Mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Alejandro Marichal, and the Councilor for Housing, Lucía Jiménez, visited the El Pajar residential development in Santa Águeda, where renovation work on the housing complex is already underway. This project, long awaited by residents, is now a reality thanks to the political drive provided by the Department of Housing, led by Lucía Jiménez (CC): improving quality of life through the renovation of the public housing stock.
During the visit, both councilors were able to see the progress of the initial works on-site, a project that will directly benefit 66 families. The project, which is part of the ARRU (Urban Regeneration and Renewal Area) program, has a total investment of €1.486.391,38, co-financed by the Ministry of Housing (€200.000), the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands (€150.000), the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council (€770.091,38), the Gran Canaria Island Council Housing Consortium (€346.500), and the residents themselves, who are contributing €300 per home.
One of the most notable improvements will be the installation of elevators in all blocks, a fundamental measure to ensure accessibility for the elderly and those with reduced mobility. In addition, the water and electricity networks are being completely renovated, the building roofs are being waterproofed, and the lighting in common areas is being improved. The facades will also be painted with durable materials, and entrances to the entrance halls will be adapted with ramps and signage to facilitate the movement of all residents.
In the surrounding area, the common areas will be redesigned with new paving and gardens, creating more welcoming, safe, and well-maintained spaces. In addition to the visible improvements, the project includes fundamental structural reinforcements. Deteriorated pillars, beams, and walls are being repaired, as well as replacing elements that were out of compliance. Lucía Jiménez explained that this is "a comprehensive intervention, designed not only to beautify, but to ensure that these homes will be safe and durable for decades."
The First Deputy Mayor emphasized that this project is part of a "responsible and meaningful" housing policy, which seeks to guarantee decent living conditions for all residents of the municipality, regardless of the neighborhood they live in. "We don't make empty announcements; we carry out real projects that transform the spaces where people have lived for decades," Marichal emphasized.
For his part, Jiménez emphasized that "the rehabilitation of El Pajar is also a matter of social justice." "These homes were built more than 40 years ago and urgently needed comprehensive renovations. Today we are fulfilling a pending debt to their residents," he stated.
The renovation of El Pajar joins those already underway in other areas of the municipality, such as the 106 homes at Castillo del Romeral, the La Paz residential development, and the Grupo IFA residential complex. All of them share a common focus: improving accessibility, modernizing infrastructure, and restoring dignity to residential areas that have been waiting for intervention for decades.
As Marichal emphasized during the visit, "we continue to demonstrate that housing is a real priority, with visible actions, committed budgets, and projects that are already changing the lives of hundreds of families in San Bartolomé de Tirajana."
