Chunta Aragonesista has announced that it will join the general strike called for next Wednesday, 11 November. Its president, Jorge Pueyo, has called on the entire Aragonese citizenry to take part in this day of protest, organized to demand access to decent housing at affordable prices.
"Housing is the foundation that supports the life, dignity and future of any person. Today that foundation is crumbling under the weight of speculation. Patience has run out and we stand to defend our right to live on our land, not simply to survive," Jorge Pueyo said at a press conference.
The CHA leader stressed that the housing crisis hits young people with particular severity, who find themselves trapped between job insecurity and skyrocketing rents, which makes it practically impossible to move out and build their own life project.
"How can a young person, with a minimum wage, afford rent, food, utilities and transport, and also save to access housing? We cannot accept that emancipation before the age of 30 has become a privilege," he said.
Pueyo also referred to data from the Emancipation Observatory of the Consejo de la Juventud de España, which put the economic effort a young person would have to make to rent a home alone at 98.7% of their salary.
Neighborhoods, towns and housing emergency
The president of CHA emphasized that this housing emergency is pushing people out of their neighborhoods and towns, especially in Aragón’s tourist municipalities, where the rise of tourist housing and speculative pressure make it difficult for residents to continue living in their usual surroundings.
"We cannot allow our cities to become impersonal showcases nor our towns to be seasonal theme parks. We need housing so that young people can stay, to guarantee generational turnover and to keep our neighborhoods and counties alive," he argued.
In this context, CHA demands "to regulate and intervene in the market to guarantee affordable rents, to curb real estate speculation, to establish indefinite rental contracts, and to increase investment in public housing both in cities and in rural areas".
"Housing is a statutory and constitutional right, not a financial asset at the service of those who seek to maximize their benefits. Institutions have an obligation to ensure that all people can access a home and decent living conditions. That is why we call to support the strike and to take part in the mobilizations of 11 November, for an Aragón where one can live," Pueyo has concluded.