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.

The housing crisis has not gone unnoticed in the banking sector either. While a significant part of its business is granting mortgages, the sector is always sensitive to any problem that threatens the smooth functioning of the economy, and it is this latter element that is raising the most concerns. "Access to housing is one of the main problems [in Spain] [...] and could affect the economy in the medium and long term," stated CaixaBank CEO Gonzalo Gortázar this Wednesday morning during a speech at a breakfast briefing in Madrid. Banks have been lending freely for some time, especially since interest rates began to fall, and maintain that they are doing so under "sound and reasonable" conditions, in Gortázar's words. Delinquency rates also do not seem to be a concern. However, housing demand is "well above" supply, the executive indicated, which is putting upward pressure on prices, including rental prices. "If we don't solve this, it will be a bottleneck for economic growth and, obviously, a major social problem," the executive reiterated.

When the cranes suddenly stopped, much of Catalonia was left scarred. Concrete skeletons, empty sidewalks, unfinished streets. Many of the scars of the housing bubble on the urban landscape remain intact. But that bursting also left a less visible, even poisonous, legacy. In 2007, Catalonia built 80,000 homes, the highest figure in recorded history, in a year that saw more than 100,000 sales. Last year, around 13,000 homes were completed, far fewer than 18 years ago—although the number of transactions was almost the same—but above all, fewer than the number of households created. Specifically, 2.77 times more homes should be being built than are being finished, that is, about 30,000. In Catalonia, out of a population of 8 million, it is projected that up to 355,000 households will be excluded from the housing market in the next 15 years, according to the Sectoral Territorial Housing Plan (PTSH).

Prefabricated homes have long since burst onto the real estate market and have already gained significant traction in the Catalan construction industry. The methodology, patented for two decades, The Lleida-based company Grupo PMP (which stands for Prefabricated Modular Projects) It aims to soon become Spain's leader in this category. Its way of building houses is similar to that of Lego: they prepare all the pieces in their factory, from walls, doors, and windows, to the smallest details of the interiors, and then they assemble them. in situ in just a few months. A revolution that has only continued to emerge, even in times of crisis.

The luxury Blau de Mar building in Playa de Aro, a spectacular six-story building with a communal pool on the seafront, overlooking the sea, could be a metaphor for the difficulties and helplessness that come with buying a new property with serious construction defects. More than a year ago, this building suffered a serious collapse of the concrete cornices on the balconies, which from an upper floor swept away the remaining overhangs like a house of cards. "A very serious accident that could have caused a disaster. We still don't know why it happened or when it will be fixed!" says the only neighbor who was sunbathing in the communal area last Sunday, prudently staying away from the balconies. The overhangs of the façade that suffered the collapse were completely demolished to prevent further fragments from breaking off, and the other façade has been replaced with cumbersome metal supports that detract from the aesthetics of the apartments that were advertised as "exclusive homes" and "a safe bet for." Prices for these apartments exceeded half a million euros, with some reaching as high as 800,000. According to the real estate experts consulted, price is no guarantee of quality in a new apartment.

The president of the Official Chamber of Construction Contractors of Catalonia (CCOC), Lluís Moreno, explained this Wednesday that construction activity in Catalonia increased by 1.7% in 2024, but criticized the fact that the sector "is systematically growing below GDP," which rose by 3.6% last year. Moreno presented the report. The construction sector in Catalonia 2025. Forecasts for 2025 and 2026. The report forecasts sector growth of between 2% and 2.5% this year and between 2.5% and 3% in 2026.

Catalan cement company Molins and Mexican company Grupo Titan have agreed to jointly acquire 80% of Bosnian Baupartner, a company specializing in prefabricated concrete and steel structures, the two companies announced in a joint statement. The purchase will be made through a joint venture (joint venture) between the Catalan and Mexican companies, which have not revealed the price of the transaction.

Miura Partners has announced that it will invest in Grupo PMP, a company specializing in industrialized residential construction. The transaction will be completed through a capital increase via the Miura Impact Fund. With this initiative, Miura strengthens its commitment to a strategic sector with an environmental impact, such as industrialized construction.

In yesterday's article, and you'll excuse the self-quote, this sentence appeared: "In the Balearic Islands, the PP and Vox have approved the construction of housing on rural land, a measure that could disfigure Mallorca in a short time. The destruction caused by the nationalist right, in language, in education, and in urban and territorial planning, could be irreversible."

Housing prices in both Catalonia and Spain as a whole continue to rise, and in the first quarter they registered their largest increase in 18 years, according to data from the Housing Price Index (IPV), published this Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

The Construmat fair returns from May 20 to 22 to Hall 2 of Fira de Barcelona's Gran Vía venue with more exhibitors, more space, and a clear commitment to sustainability, digitalization, and innovation. In its 24th edition, the show will feature more than 350 direct exhibitors from 22 countries—24% more than the previous year—and a 15% larger exhibition area.

The Spanish government is taking another step forward in the macro plan announced in January to mobilize affordable rental housing. one of the twelve measures outlined four months ago, will be endowed with 1.3 billion euros, as announced by the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, this Thursday. The money will be channeled over ten years through different financial instruments, including loan lines from the Official Credit Institute (ICO) with favorable conditions. It should be noted that this strategic project is supported by European funds in the form of a Recovery Plan loan, which Spain has already begun to receive. "It will be a key tool to place Spain at the forefront of industrialization in the construction sector," said Sánchez.

The National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) has sanctioned on Friday twelve companies with a total of 61.3 million euros, among which there are subsidiaries of the construction companies of Acciona, ACS, OHL, Ferrovial, FCC, Elecnor, Copcisa and Sacyr, for an infringement constituting a cartel to divide the tenders called by the Ministry of Development between 2014 and 2018 to fix roads. In addition, Competition prohibits them from contracting with the public administration for an indefinite period of time. Although it is not the first time that fines of this style are placed (in 2019 a similar fine was placed on a cartel that monopolised Adif's tenders), this decision is especially significant because it reveals a way of proceeding that completely alters the rules of competition and that has condemned dozens of companies that acted legally and saw how, time and again, they were left out of public tenders.

The Sagrada Família has risen a little higher with the construction of the tower of the Mare de Déu, which at 127 metres will be the second tallest tower in the church. On Tuesday work began on building the shaft on which the star that will crown the tower will be placed. According to the plan of works of the construction board of the temple for this year, the tower will be completed in December.