Five years after the eruption of the volcano began Tajogaite on 19 September 2021, people on La Palma are still living in temporary accommodation. According to consistent media reports, around 40 families are affected, most of them housed in Los Llanos de Aridane rows of containers. Many say that compensation and grants are not enough to find permanent accommodation in the island’s strained housing market. One resident puts it this way: “With the money they gave me, I can’t even buy a pet.”
The regional government Gobierno de Canarias and the Cabildo de La Palma point to progress and ongoing measures on the anniversary. These include the modular homes already provided viviendas modulares as a temporary solution, rental assistance, and the construction and allocation of permanent public housing. Projects are mentioned in, among other places, Breña Baja, Tazacorte and Los Llanos de Aridane. In addition, the Cabildo has approved phased return arrangements for some restricted areas, such as Puerto Naos and La Bombilla, where measurements and safety conditions allow.
At the same time, conditions remain difficult for those still living in the containers. Those affected and local politicians cite the shortage of available housing and administrative delays in tenders and allocations as the main reasons. Families report repeatedly postponed moving dates, makeshift day-to-day arrangements and psychological strain following the loss of their homes and prolonged uncertainty. Rural districts such as Todoque, which disappeared beneath the lava and whose social fabric remains fragmented to this day, were particularly hard hit.
Official figures and progress reports from recent years show that dozens of modular units have been provided and hundreds of permanent homes set in motion. Whether these projects will quickly close the remaining gap is unclear. The priorities now are completing buildings already under way on schedule, ensuring reliable allocations and easing pressure on the rental market effectively by adding more housing.
The anniversary highlights both progress and ongoing problems. What is clear is that a core group of families remains in temporary containers, despite the programmes under way. At the same time, allocations and return permits show that the move towards stable housing is progressing—though more slowly than many had hoped. The coming months will show whether commitments and building plans are enough to move the families still living in containers into permanent homes.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).