Ibavi modernizes six houses in Maria de la Salut – opportunities for young families

Ibavi modernizes six houses in Maria de la Salut – opportunities for young families

€581,400 for affordable housing, parking included

On the Plaça Major of Maria de la Salut you can still hear the little church bell in the morning, the baker brings fresh ensaimadas to the counter, and young people stop to ask whether there will really be more flats for them in their town soon. The answer is yes: Ibavi, the Balearic housing institute, has purchased six terraced houses and is investing around €581,400 in their modernization. This local step sits alongside broader government efforts to expand public housing More social housing from 2026: What the Balearic Islands are really planning — and what's missing.

The houses, located on a quiet side street not far from the market, have two floors, private parking spaces and living areas between roughly 90 and over 130 square meters. That is not a given in Mallorca: space and a private parking spot are scarce in many places, and here both are retained. A renovation is planned that should take around four months — enough time to strengthen the building fabric and install modern but durable fittings (in line with recent programmes that front refurb costs for rental housing Advancing Renovations Instead of Waiting: Government Funds Refurbs — Is That Enough for More Affordable Rents in Mallorca?).

For young people in villages like Maria de la Salut this is more than a number on paper. These are homes where you can start planning family life, where a bicycle can be stored safely and where the neighbor across the street still greets you. On a Saturday afternoon, when the weekly market is running and olive stalls spread their scent, one often hears discussions about who can stay — and who has to leave because rents rise or offers are lacking.

Ibavi had already acquired the properties in 2024 with the clear aim of allocating them as social housing to young residents of the town (see also Ibavi grows — 171 new apartments: A drop in the bucket?). Such initiatives fill a gap that cannot be closed by private investment alone: local roots matter, as the requirement shows — at least ten years of registration in the municipality. This is intended to prevent the housing from being lost to short-term residents or tourists with a higher willingness to pay.

What does that mean concretely for Maria de la Salut? In the short term: six families or households fewer on waiting lists, more life on the streets, afternoons with children on the square. In the medium term: easier planning for schools, local shops and clubs. When young people stay, it pays off in many ways — from the small bike repair shop to the Sunday café that regains regulars.

A few practical ideas that can make a difference locally: good connections to the bus line so that work in Inca or Palma remains reachable; support for job searches or further training in cooperation with the town hall (Ayuntamiento); and a small repair budget for communal areas so that new tenants quickly feel at home. These additions are not big political slogans but everyday matters that can be discussed on the street.

In recent weeks I have met several young couples from the village — they sit in the café on Carrer de s'Ermita, look at the church and quietly calculate how much of the monthly salary is left. The prospect of an affordable, modernized flat changes the mood: less resignation, more plans. Some have already been thinking about how to furnish the rooms, whether to keep a guest room or set up a home office.

Projects like this show that housing policy works in small municipalities. It takes time and sometimes unusual compromises; but when the houses are finished and the first keys are handed over, the impact will be felt: toys on the pavement, young neighbours helping with the move, and conversations about the next market days. For Mallorca this is a form of caring for home — not a grand promise, but concrete support for people who are rooted here. Similar local projects have been planned elsewhere, for example in Sóller where public land was reassigned for social housing Sóller: Parking lot replaced by 24 social housing units at Plaça de les Teixidores.

Outlook: if the work proceeds as planned, the first flats could be occupied later this year. That would be welcome news for Maria de la Salut. And perhaps the project will encourage other municipalities and authorities to consider similar steps. More initiatives like this would mean fewer empty lots, more lived-in villages, and greater diversity in our streets again.

Conclusion: Ibavi's investment is not a cure-all, but a practical step — tangible, local and noticeable. For young people in Maria de la Salut it represents a piece of the future that also enlivens the village. And when the church bell rings on a Friday evening, it may this time accompany the laughter of new neighbours.