Access to housing focused a prominent part of the 2025 report that the Citizen's Defender of Palafrugell, Francesc Almagro, presented at the last municipal plenary session. In his speech, he warned of the seriousness of the situation in the municipality and demanded measures to reverse a problem that, in his opinion, aggravates inequality and particularly affects the most vulnerable people.
"What a shame. A room becomes a space for a family to live at prices that should shame the owner and receive society's reproach" - Francesc Almagro, Citizen's Defender of Palafrugell
Almagro maintained that Palafrugell is dragging "a serious housing problem" and summarized the scenario with a direct idea. There is not enough supply and what exists is expensive. Along these lines, he denounced that housing has become an asset to make money, that renting is almost impossible and that this dynamic contributes to accentuating inequalities. He also warned of the appearance of speculators and criminals who take advantage of people with the most needs, in addition to pointing out that homes continue to be rejected due to the origin of the tenants.
Petition for municipal measures
During his presentation, the Ombudsman asked the City Council to act to find formulas that allow reversing this problem as much as possible. Among the proposed avenues, he cited the construction of new homes, intervention in the stock of empty flats for various reasons, and agreements with large housing-holding platforms. Even so, he indicated that the Housing Office is working in the right direction.
The mayor of Palafrugell, Laura Millán, responded in the plenary session that she shares the need to combat bad practices. Furthermore, she explained that the council maintains a joint action by the Local Police, the Housing Office, and social services to assist vulnerable people living in substandard housing situations or subjected to irregular and abusive rents.
Millán also detailed that the City Council is developing a pilot test with the CAP of Palafrugell to share social care and carry out joint follow-ups in cases of complex social situations.
95 actions and 9 recommendations in a year
The annual report of the Citizen's Ombudsman closed with 95 actions and 9 recommendations to improve municipal services. The activity in 2025 was distributed into 52 complaints, 22 advisories, 11 consultations, 9 recommendations, and one referral to mediation. The municipal information also indicates that most of the resolved complaints were favorable to the citizens.
Beyond housing, Almagro placed as a first necessity making public space and facilities more accessible. During his intervention, he remarked that many sidewalks are not practicable and recalled that accessibility is linked to equality. Although he recognized that the City Council works on this matter, he considered that the current pace is insufficient.
Accessibility, mobility and incivility among the concerns
The memory also identifies other open fronts in Palafrugell and in the regional environment. Among them figure mobility and public transport, situations of incivility, and the maintenance and salubrity of urban spaces.
Based on the actions carried out, the Ombudsman urged the City Council to strengthen communication with citizens, shorten administrative response times, improve the accessibility of public space and increase control over concessioned services. He also proposed moving towards more understandable language in administrative communications and facilitating systems that allow the entire population to access procedures.
Institutional work with other administrations
Among the institutional actions developed during the year is the signing of an agreement with the company managing the water service to improve user service. Almagro also held meetings with representatives of the Generalitat and the State to convey problems related to dependency and the functioning of different public services.
The Ombudsman also participated in the regional commission on registration to unify criteria and guarantee rights, sent a communication to the Ombudsman to demand improvements in state services and took part in workshops and working spaces with other local syndics and defenders. The report thus leaves a map of concerns very close to the daily life of Palafrugell, with housing as the most urgent matter and with the focus placed on the municipal response to situations of greater vulnerability.