Santa Margalida has a registered population of around 13,750, of whom some 8,700 live in the resort of Can Picafort. There are also, according to Mayor Joan Monjo, approximately 1,500 squatters. The mayor prefers to call them "social tourists" so as to not possibly imply being racist.
Monjo explains there has been a problem with squatters for years but that it has worsened. He fears for people's safety. "There are ten to twelve people living in each apartment without the minimum health and safety guarantees." The town hall has been bricking up access to properties, but the mayor says they are soon reoccupied.
Some squats are properties that were left unfinished because of the financial crisis. They are distributed throughout the municipality, but especially in Can Picafort. "Most of them are owned by banks."
He maintains that many of the squatters commit crimes in Santa Margalida. "There are all kinds of people. Some are illegal immigrants, who work as street vendors on our beaches. But there are also workers who don't want to pay rent. Unfortunately, there are also children."
Monjo insists that it is not tourists who are "taking homes away from us". There are roughly 250 properties with squatters, where families could be living. In his view, tourism is being demonised and blamed for overcrowding, when this isn't really the cause.
He is critical of politicians with powers to act for not taking appropriate measures to address the difficulties in accessing housing. He stresses that tourism is the main driver of the Balearic economy. "In Santa Margalida we have 17,000 hotel places. The hotels pay their taxes and create jobs. However, we have some 1,500 social tourists who don't pay anything and yet create many problems." He is clear that there should be an end to tourism being criminalised and that necessary measures are adopted to prevent squatting and to facilitate access to housing.
Very few homes have been built since 2010 and he reserves particular criticism for the last government, which eliminated developable areas from the Mallorca Territorial Plan. "This has made housing more expensive." The housing shortage in Mallorca, he argues, is primarily a consequence of squatting and of political decisions that have hindered new construction.