The facility, comprising 44 rooms, will distribute its spots as follows: 26 private (approximately 35%), 43 subsidized (around 60%), and only three for social purposes (4%). This breakdown is detailed in the project's Feasibility Study.
The concessionary company will receive about 2,700 euros per month for each private spot and 2,000 euros for each subsidized spot. The operation of the facility will last at least 13 years without the City Council charging a fee, in exchange for an investment in equipment estimated at 2.5 million euros.
According to the study, the residence, located in the Trapiche del Prado area, will commence operations in 2027 with an initial offering that includes half of the private spots alongside all subsidized and social spots. The full capacity of private spots will be reached during 2028.
The study supports the concession model as the most efficient method to achieve objectives of budgetary stability, financial sustainability, and efficient allocation of public spending.
“"Once again, an opportunity is being missed to truly address the needs of our elders. The planned spots will not cover the existing demand nor the current and future needs of the elderly in Marbella and San Pedro."
The prospect of one-third of the spots being private has drawn criticism from the opposition. The PSOE argues that the City Council should manage the facility directly to ensure all spots are allocated based on social criteria and criticizes the prioritization of a business logic for a public infrastructure.
“"We do not understand that, after such a significant public investment, an infrastructure intended to meet such an evident social need is being approached partially from a business perspective. What is built with public money should serve the public and the needs of the citizens."
“"This is another turn of the screw in the PP's disastrous policies. We build a facility with public funds and hand it over to a private company to make profits. Public resources are being privatized."
IU describes the situation as a "tremendous deception" to Marbella's residents, recalling that the local government had assured it would be the municipality's first public residence. The coalition criticizes the privatization of public resources and the PP's management.
The municipal government team has declined to comment on the management of the residence's spots.
The construction of this residence has faced decades of delays. The first stone was laid in 2009, and its opening has been announced on multiple occasions since. The project is situated on a 10,000-square-meter plot donated in 1992 by a local family, with the commitment to dedicate it to the elderly. The total investment is expected to be around nine million euros and will include garden areas, two residential buildings, and common spaces.
