The Barcelona Chamber of Commerce presented its plan this Wednesday to combat the housing crisis. The business entity announced a set of 20 "structural" measures to face the challenge that it represents for the country. According to the Chamber, the objectives of the initiative are to "sustainably increase the housing supply, reinforce legal certainty, and guarantee access to decent housing for all citizens". Estimates collected by the entity indicate that in the next five years, more than 180,000 new housing needs will have to be met.

The Barcelona Metropolitan Housing Observatory calculates the real impact of the rent cap. Prices in the Catalan capital would have risen by between 160 and 270 euros more per month if this measure had not been implemented, according to a report prepared by this entity. Without regulation, the document states, rents would have continued to rise to 1,318.6 euros per month, following the trend of the last decade, or could even have risen further, to 1,492.2 euros, if the accelerated growth rate of the market in recent years had been maintained.

Mortgage lending continues to circulate – in fact, some financial institutions have warned that it is doing so unsustainably – while housing prices rise month after month. In this context, some are already noticing a difficulty in buying: households where the main residence is rented have a "limited financial capacity" to acquire a first property through a mortgage, according to the Bank of Spain. Be that as it may, the scenario shows no signs of concern in the opinion of the supervisory body, which for some months has been analyzing whether to activate any limitations on the lending criteria for high-risk mortgages that are being granted.

The Spanish government was forced to divide aid for the war in the Middle East into two parts. The first, with tax rebates on fuel, among other aspects, had already been validated by Congress. But the opposition from Junts has derailed the second decree, the one on housing, which among other measures proposed extending rental contracts that were nearing their end by two years and a cap of 2% on rent increases.

The Spanish government was forced to divide aid for the war in the Middle East into two parts. The first, with tax rebates on fuels, among other aspects, was already validated by Congress. But the opposition from Junts has derailed the second decree, that of housing, which among other measures proposed extending rental contracts that reached their term by two years and a cap of 2% on rent increases.

Junts has assured that it will vote against the housing decree that will be debated this Tuesday in Congress, as reported by 'El País' and confirmed by the ACN. Last week, Carles Puigdemont's party proposed a deduction on mortgages and rents to "give air to the middle class" and assured that the Spanish government had the possibility of withdrawing the royal decree. Consulted sources recall that the decree going to the plenary session cannot be modified and that in this way they cannot endorse it. "Our housing policies have been made clear," they point out, recalling that there are also pending issues such as the reduction of fees for the self-employed.

Two housing measures hang by a thread: the extraordinary extension of rental contracts ending between March 22, 2026, and December 31, 2027, and the limitation of the annual update of contracts to 2% to avoid inflation hikes due to the war in the Middle East. Both proposals are included in the Spanish government's decree to address, precisely, the economic shock of the war on housing, particularly on rents, and which the Congress votes on this Tuesday. Nothing suggests, however, that it will prosper.

Tuesday, April 28, we have a lot at stake as a society. On this day, Congress will decide whether to approve the extension of rental contracts, a measure that could prevent nearly 475,000 tenants in Catalonia, and more than 3 million across the State, with contracts expiring soon, from being forced to leave their homes in the coming months.

It is not as simple as directly applying economic theory, but it must be taken into account. One of the main ways to ensure that housing ceases to be a luxury good, as it is today – especially in large cities, but also in medium-sized ones, which suffer from the price increase caused by the flight of demand seeking more affordable places to live – is to increase supply. And for this supply to adapt to demand. But this is easier said than done. Having become the main concern of the population, housing is actually a state issue, which all parties should assume.

The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda sent a letter this Friday to 541 real estate agencies and investment funds that manage or concentrate 50 or more properties each, informing them that they must mandatorily extend the contracts of their tenants that expire between March 22, 2026, and December 31, 2027, if the tenants have requested it. In total, as the ministry reported in a statement, the companies to which this letter has been sent manage more than 50,000 rentals.

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The Association of Rental Property Owners (Asval) announced on Tuesday the creation of a permanent commission in Catalonia. During the presentation, Asval asserted that they need greater legal certainty and a more ""Clear, stable, and predictable." In fact, the association's new delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Muñoz, has asserted that this lack of legal certainty is what, in many cases, leads to "conflict" between landlords and tenants. "Landlords and tenants share a common interest: that the system works," Muñoz affirmed. "Without landlords, there is no supply; without tenants, there is no one to request housing."

In Barcelona, ​​it's possible to live in a rented apartment with extremely unsanitary conditions. It's also possible to live there knowing the building manager is aware of the situation, that a city inspector has visited the apartment, and that an architect has even certified "a dramatic situation of dampness" that can cause rhinitis, bronchitis, and even pneumonia. These are, in fact, the respiratory ailments that Felicia, the tenant, has suffered every winter for the past five years. With mandatory renovations still underway, she will be leaving this penthouse in the Born district in a few days because the landlord has decided not to renew her contract, which expires in a few months.

Housing costs are now a financial burden for the vast majority of the Catalan population. More than 80% must dedicate over 30% of their income to rent payments, and up to 36% must set aside half their salary. This additional strain is significantly lower among homeowners with outstanding mortgages, with percentages of 62% and 20%, respectively. These figures come from the report. Housing, the cement of inequalitiesA report published by Oxfam Intermón highlights that the cost of housing has increased by 56% since 2014 without a corresponding rise in wages. The report paints a picture of a society where housing is the primary driver of social inequality. And more than by neighborhood, the imbalance is determined by whether or not renting is involved. Only 15% of renters can meet the Bank of Spain's recommendation to spend less than a third of their income on housing. In contrast, among those with a mortgage, the percentage reaches 80%. According to Raquel Checa, head of Oxfam Intermón's Zero Inequality campaign, renting has become "the great trap," as soaring prices make saving almost impossible.

This Monday, March 9th, the application period opens for the state-run Youth Rental Grant (Bo Alquiler Joven), a subsidy of up to €250 per month for two years designed to facilitate access to housing for people up to 35 years old. Applications can be submitted from 9:00 AM this Monday, March 9th, until 2:00 PM on Friday, March 13th, and will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis until the allocated budget is exhausted. The Catalan government (Generalitat) is allocating more than €29 million to the program, as announced in February by the Minister of Territory, Housing, and Ecological Transition, Silvia Paneque, who urged young people to register as soon as possible with the Catalan Housing Agency (Agència de l'Hôtel de Catalunya). How to apply for the Bo Alquiler Joven (Youth Rental Voucher)

The application can be submitted in different ways:

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What is the real impact of the price cap on the rental market? Has it managed to lower the price of new contracts or at least contain it? The answer, in accordance with the objective for which it was created, which was to prevent abusive increases during times of high demand or scarcity, is positive: in Catalonia, since the rent cap came into effect in March 2024, the price of new contracts has risen by 0.8% in the municipalities declared to be under pressure, and by 3% in the city of Barcelona.

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The rise in rental prices has slowed in Catalonia, and especially in the city of Barcelona, ​​over the last year and a half. However, the third quarter of last year saw a slight increase compared to the previous quarter—1.55% in Barcelona and 2.59% in Catalonia—and the number of rental contracts signed has decreased, according to data from the Catalan Housing Agency based on deposits held by Incasòl. This data indicates that in the third quarter of 2025, the average rental price in Barcelona city was €1,153.11, while the average rental price across Catalonia was €876.83.

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The housing situation is a major problem. Citizens have known this for some time, and for months now, the Spanish and Catalan governments have also been well aware of it and are launching initiatives to try to resolve it, despite knowing that any step in this direction takes time. An issue that the administrations neglected for many years is unlikely to be resolved quickly.

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The Spanish government is starting the year by focusing on housing, and in particular, rental housing. In fact, it already did so in January 2025, when it announced a package of measures to mobilize affordable rentals in the StateOn Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced three proposals to "further intervene in the rental market" in Spain. The measures will be included in a royal decree-law to be approved "in the coming weeks," said Sánchez, who assured that they will benefit "the three million households that rent in Spain." But before the proposals can be implemented, Sánchez will have to reach an agreement with the junior partner in the coalition government, Sumar, which has already rejected one of the measures. Specifically, the proposal to reinstate tax breaks for landlords. "Giving public money to landlords is a mistake," asserted Second Vice President and prominent figure of Sumar, Yolanda Díaz, via the social network BlueSky. Later, Sánchez expressed his "conviction" that an agreement could be reached. "We are going to work," said the head of the Spanish government when asked about Díaz's reaction.

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Renters are the most affected by the housing crisis. This group is the most exposed to housing insecurity, economic hardship, and wealth inequality, compared to other tenure arrangements, such as homeowners with mortgages or those who own their homes outright. A study presented this Wednesday concludes that this problem faced by renters is not specific to any one country, nor is it solely a consequence of a lack of supply.

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