When caravans become the last address: How Mallorca's housing crisis is changing

Housing that disappears: everyday life, not headlines

Early in the morning, on the Ma-13 toward the airport, a tourist yawns and asks: 'Are these permanent campers?' The answer he did not expect: many of these vehicles are not vacation accommodations but emergency solutions. In recent years, on the outskirts of Palma and in some eastern towns, there have emerged genuine settlements of caravans, converted vans, and improvised huts. Families with children, retirees, shift workers — people who suddenly find themselves between work and homelessness.

When rent costs more than life

The figures sound dry but hit home: many households spend more than half of their income on rent. Apartments under 900 euros per month are scarce. This drives people into shared flats, basement rooms, or empty industrial halls. Some I met in a small garden settlement on the edge of Palma said: 'We have lost hope that we can stay here long-term.'

The legal situation makes the situation more complicated. Tenancies are time-limited and are often renegotiated after expiration — with the risk of significantly higher charges. The central government has announced tools, but their effectiveness depends on whether regions implement them. On the island, much remains caught in disputes between authorities, landlords, and environmentalists.

Why not just build anew?

Building would be an answer, of course. But the calculation is not so simple: land prices, expensive materials, strict regulations, and long permitting times make projects more costly. At the same time, short-term rentals entice owners to use apartments more for tourism than for long-term housing. The result: vacant apartments beside a growing number of people without fixed housing.

In village pubs and market stalls, people discuss this passionately. Some call for stricter rules against vacation apartments, others want more social housing. Environmentalists warn against indiscriminately overbuilding free spaces — the island has its limits.

What helps? In the short term: more targeted social housing, fair renewal of existing licenses, and stronger control of illegal vacation rentals. In the long term: affordable housing as a priority — not just in campaign speeches but with clear numbers, deadlines, and financing plans. Until then, the image many tourists see remains: caravans by the roadside, and behind them people who are simply trying to find a place to sleep.

I was in Son Ferriol on a rainy afternoon — you hear more stories here than official numbers. And they rarely sound good.