Participatory diagnosis for the development of municipal housing plans: The cases of Bormujos and Bollullos de la Mitación (Andalusía)

Abstract

The bursting of the Spanish real estate bubble in 2008 revealed a serious problem of housing access for a growing sector of the population that cannot afford market prices, while part of the existing housing stock remains vacant. In a context of lack of resources, the Andalusian Housing and Land Plan (2016-2020) proposes that municipalities develop Municipal Housing and Land Plans (known as PMVS in Spanish) to explore innovative solutions that contribute to bringing these two extremes closer together based on knowledge of the specific situation in each locality and the participation of the social actors involved. This article sets out to create a participatory diagnostic of the situation of unresolved demand and vacant housing stock on a local scale in order to situate the challenges that a PMVS should address. To this end, under a methodological framework of participatory action research, the study analyses the participatory process implemented in two municipalities in the Seville metropolitan area, Bormujos and Bollullos de la Mitación, as case studies representative of the urban processes that took place during the years of the real estate bubble. Therefore, the results were used to create a profile of the existing needs and the available resources that could be allocated to meet them, in this case empty housing and vacant land. Likewise, through this experience it was possible to conclude how the participation of technicians, politicians and citizens in public policy development contributes to building critical awareness, a sense of appropriation and the commitment of local agents to the challenge faced, which facilitates their subsequent involvement in the implementation of collaborative actions.