Housing, a citizen's right and a structural challenge

The housing challenges facing Catalonia today are complex and structural. Currently, 271 municipalities have been declared areas of tight housing markets—territories where housing prices have risen significantly. In response to this situation, since March 2024, the Catalan government has decided to limit rental prices in these areas, where more than 90% of the Catalan population lives. This measure is part of a broader debate on how to guarantee access to decent housing, balance the market, promote affordable housing, and address new social and economic needs. On Friday, November 7th, ARA, in collaboration with the Catalan government, organized an initial meeting with experts to discuss various solutions for addressing the current housing situation in Catalonia. The round table, moderated by ARA journalist Paula Pujol, featured the participation of Jordi Mas i Herrero, Director General of Housing for the Government of Catalonia, and Juli Ponce Solé, Professor of Administrative Law at the University of Barcelona and holder of the Barcelona Chair of Housing Studies.

Containing prices, investing more, and long-term planning

During the debate, experts agreed that Catalonia is experiencing a turning point in housing policies, with rent control as the first step within a broader strategy. "Rent control is a temporary measure that must be accompanied by many other structural actions," they asserted. They argued that it is necessary to consolidate housing as a social right and a stable public service, not as a speculative commodity. "Historically, housing in Catalonia and Spain has been seen as a purely market-driven issue," Juli Ponce Solé began explaining. However, "this is changing," he added: "We are in a process of global change in mindset in which housing is not only a market—which it is—but also a constitutional and statutory right." Rent control is one piece of the puzzle, but not the sole or definitive solution. Greater public intervention is necessary, they said, with increased investment and long-term planning. Ponce Solé warned that "problems accumulated over more than thirty years cannot be solved in three years."

The Generalitat's aid: 180 million euros and the Emancipation Loan

Mas explained that the Generalitat manages a public housing stock of 25,000 homes and allocates €180 million annually in rental assistance, benefiting 90,000 families—approximately 200,000 people. "This assistance is primarily for people in vulnerable situations," the Generalitat's Director General of Housing pointed out. Another key new initiative is the Emancipation Loan, aimed at young people between 18 and 35 years old who want to become homeowners. This loan allows them to finance up to 20% of the purchase price of a home, with a limit of €50,000, which does not need to be repaid until the mortgage is paid off. "What we ask in return is that the property be designated as social housing," Jordi Mas explained. "The goal is for the price to be linked to the initial purchase price of the property, taking into account future inflation and the necessary renovations during the first two years." In this way, they help young people become independent and contribute to curbing price speculation.

Towards a stable public infrastructure for affordable housing

Regarding the creation of new affordable housing, Mas explained that the first phase of the plan to build 50,000 new public housing units by 2030 is already underway. The first call for land proposals has received 670 offers with a potential for 20,000 homes, of which 10,000 already have developers. The Generalitat (Catalan government) has also signed an agreement with CEPES (Spanish Confederation of Private Enterprise) to incorporate 13,000 Sareb (Spanish Asset Management Company) properties that can be converted into subsidized rental housing, with a potential for another 10,000. Juli Ponce emphasized that "affordable housing must be a structural and stable part of the system, like hospitals or schools, and not a temporary policy." He added that "housing is an essential public service." For his part, Mas concluded by stating that they are working with the vision of "generating a public housing infrastructure that responds to the country's challenges" because housing cannot be a market or investment asset, but rather a right, and it is necessary to guarantee dignified access. Therefore, both agreed that collective collaboration between the public administration and private institutions is essential.