It is often pointed out that one of the main problems in rural areas, which is at the root of the intense depopulation processes, is the lack of housing. The press echoes these kinds of statements, made by politicians, technicians and academics alike. _x000D_
The context on which this research focuses is based on the hypothesis that there is not a problem of lack of housing, but rather of a blockage in the housing market, which is a partial and significantly different issue. Therefore, solutions such as the generation of a small stock of public housing, or rental housing exchanges, would be ineffective, and would have, if any, very local and short-range effects. If our hypothesis is true, it would be necessary to go to measures of profound reform in housing and urban planning regulations in rural areas, with the central objective of mobilising the housing market. _x000D_
Our research focuses on a case study, the Alto Palancia region in the interior of the province of Castellón (Spain). Depopulation processes have been present for several decades, but some municipalities also benefit from important improvements in their accessibility to and from the Metropolitan Area of Valencia. Aspects such as the age of the housing stock; the evolution of the number of new and second-hand housing transactions; the presence of 1st or 2nd residence dwellings, as well as empty dwellings; the weight of the different tenure regimes, with special attention to rented or recently purchased dwellings; the proportion of dwellings for sale, etc., are analysed. In a specific case, the housing stock is also analysed according to the relationship between three variables: inhabited/uninhabited, age of the dwellings and their condition. _x000D_
The results of this case study confirm that the stock of «available» housing is very large, and that structural measures are needed to force a much more significant part of that stock of rural housing into the market. _x000D_
Pau, P., Esparcia, J.
University of Valencia (Spain)
ID Abstract: 890