The construction of social housing in Spain is equivalent to 20% of that destined for the free market
Catalonia concentrates 47% of finished dwellings and 8% of those started
BarcelonaAt the gates of elections that will revolve around housing, the Spanish government is boasting about the construction of subsidized housing (HPO) during the first half of the year and speaks of "accelerated growth". The administrations as a whole – central, regional, and local – have begun to build 70% more apartments than in the same period last year. However, in absolute numbers, these are 13,942 homes, 20% compared to the 67,500 that have been promoted for the free market.
Beyond the social housing units for which work has begun, the other key figure is those that have been completed. During the first six months of the year, there were 11,270 across the country, practically double that of 2025. They represent a quarter—specifically 28%—of the new supply incorporated into the free market, which has maintained a practically stable pace of work and has completed 40,136 units.
The data on the construction of official protection housing (HPO) published this Thursday include, among others, the construction of units under this regime promoted by the Generalitat within the 50,000 Plan. At the same time, it must be taken into account that the information published this Thursday only refers to one of the ways the administration has to be present in the housing market: it does not include public housing—owned by the administrations but with other types of recipients—nor housing intended to cover social emergency situations.
By territory, 47% of the completed social housing units are located in Catalonia: these are 5,308. Of these, the vast majority—4,306—are found in the province of Barcelona. It is the highest concentration of the entire historical series, which began in 2008. Over the last five years, it has hovered around 20%, while, during the economic crisis and the following years, it fell below 10%.
Regarding housing starts, the country is losing momentum: Catalonia has kicked off 1,151 HPO units, fewer than it did during the same period of the previous three years. Beyond the absolute numbers, it is the year in which it concentrates the lowest proportion of housing starts relative to the whole of Spain. One must go back to 2012 to find a first semester where Catalonia accounted for less than 8.2% of the housing promoted across the entire country. Last year, 15.6% of the housing starts were in Catalonia, while in 2024 they reached 30.7%, and two years ago, 20.4%.
The best year since 2012
Pedro Sánchez's executive ensures that, "if this trend continues during the second half of the year," 2026 will be the year with the most protected housing construction since 2012, in the midst of the economic crisis. In absolute terms, it would mean ending the year with 25,000 more HPO units than there were in January.
According to the Bank of Spain, last year 150,000 more homes should have been built –without going into detail about the regime– to respond to the creation of households: while 92,000 units were added to the market, 240,000 living units were created. The Catalan chambers of commerce estimate that since 2021, 200,000 households have been created in Catalonia, while 62,000 homes have been built in these five years.