The Minister of Housing and Urban Agenda, Isabel Rodríguez, announced this Wednesday in Congress that her department plans to create a short and free telephone number, 047, to resolve issues. The purpose is to answer citizens’ doubts, particularly those related to the regulations applicable in each territory and the aid available there. To enable it as soon as possible, Rodríguez has announced that he will take the proposal to the next Council of Ministers for approval, and that he has already made the formal request to the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Public Function for the assignment of this number, within the framework of the National Telephone Numbering Plan.
“This will be a unified, accessible and free channel in which information will be offered on aid, access, rehabilitation, rental programs or any other questions that citizens may have,” said Rodríguez. “In this way we put public data at the service of the general interest,” he added.
The choice of the number by Rodríguez’s department, 047, refers to article 47 of the Spanish Constitution, which guarantees the right of all citizens to “enjoy decent and adequate housing.” And the launch of this initiative also coincides, as indicated by the ministry, with the 47th anniversary of this article in 2025.
During her speech, Minister Rodríguez announced her commitment to offering, through this line, “truthful information about the regulations applicable in each territory and about the existing aid programs” to people who use this number for information.
Boost to the state plan
The Ministry of Housing is immersed in the approval of the new State Housing Plan 2026-2030, endowed with 7,000 million euros, and with which to promote the construction of affordable housing through the public fund. To date, there have been various meetings with those responsible for housing in the different territories, while the plan has been opened for public consultation. The deadline to receive allegations ended on October 7, and, in total, the Ministry received 362 contributions, adding those from the autonomous communities and those from other agents.
The minister began her speech by explaining the central points of the plan, and requesting the commitment of the different autonomous communities to join it. “Public housing has to be protected forever, and this is what we include in the plan. These objectives and milestones focus on the main problems that Spain has, the main one being the limited public housing stock that this country has,” he indicated. The official data, which the minister herself has listed, indicate an increase in this area, from 2.5% to 3.4%. “It is very far from our aspiration. We must do more, and we must put an end to this problem and do it once and for all,” he stressed.
