Controversy in Alicante over the allocation of public housing to several municipal officials

ValenciaControversy has erupted in Alicante City Hall over the allocation of public housing to several municipal officials. The Councilor for Urban Planning, Rocío Gómez, and the Director General of Internal Organization, Public Procurement, and Funds Management, María Pérez-Hickman, have resigned due to their alleged involvement in irregularities in the allocation of public housing in an area of ​​Sant Joan beach. Pérez-Hickman's departure comes a day after the mayor, Luis Barcala, a leader of the People's Party (PP), ordered an investigation to determine if any irregularities occurred, given that the Councilor for Urban Planning, a municipal architect, and two of Pérez-Hickman's children were involved. Barcala has promised to "get to the bottom of this" and to report "the slightest suspicion" of illegal activity to the Public Prosecutor's Office. Regarding Gómez, who resigned this Friday afternoon, the mayor stated that the councilwoman acquired the status of beneficiary of one of the public housing units under investigation "five years before" entering politics. He added that the building permit for the property was granted in 2022, also a year before she joined the city council as a councilwoman. "To the best of our knowledge, [Rocío Gómez] has not intervened in any decision whatsoever related to this social housing case," the Popular Party leader added. Luis Barcala stated that he hopes the internal investigation will clarify the situation of his colleague on the governing team. Once he has all the information, he pledged to share it with the opposition and "to take action at the slightest indication of wrongdoing." "Under no circumstances can we allow even the slightest suspicion to exist in such a sensitive issue as housing, especially given the alarm generated by the lack and need for housing," he concluded.