A comprehensive approach to address two social challenges
The Government of Catalonia has embarked on an ambitious project that aims to address two interrelated social challenges: the aging of the population and the difficulties of young people in emancipating themselves.
The project, called ‘Flats to care for the elderly, flats to emancipate young people’, seeks to reduce the institutionalization of older adults and provide affordable housing solutions for young people.
Population aging: an imminent challenge
Catalonia faces a rapidly aging population. The number of people over 85 years old is expected to double by 2050, while the proportion of people over 65 years old will increase from 20% to 30%.
This trend poses significant challenges, as only 21.6% of current housing is senior-friendly.
Difficulties of youth emancipation: an obstacle for the future
On the other hand, young people in Catalonia face significant barriers to becoming independent. The youth emancipation rate is currently only 19.2%.
The lack of affordable housing and financial difficulties prevent many young people from creating their own homes.
A new model to address both challenges
The project ‘Flats to care for the elderly, flats to emancipate young people’ proposes a new model to address these challenges simultaneously.
The goal is to create serviced housing for seniors who live in inaccessible buildings and need long-term care.
By freeing these people from their current homes, a significant number of affordable apartments would be generated for young people.
Housing with services for seniors
The serviced housing buildings will be designed specifically for the needs of older people.
They will have 80 apartments, 72 with one bedroom with 40 square meters and 8 with two bedrooms with 50 square meters.
Each apartment will have a kitchen, bathroom, dining room and balcony, as well as access to common spaces for social and leisure activities.
The buildings will be fully accessible and safe, with non-slip flooring, wide hallways and innovative supporting technologies.
Affordable housing for youth
The apartments released by the elderly will be used for affordable rentals for young people.
These flats will provide young people with the opportunity to become independent and establish their own lives.
Financing and collaboration
The project will be funded through a combination of sources.
One option is debt through a public operator, where the Generalitat would go into debt to build homes with services.
Another model is exponential investment, where the Generalitat would initially invest in the construction of the buildings and then use the rental income to finance new developments.
The project will also have the collaboration of local governments, which will provide land for the construction of the homes.
Next steps
The Government of Catalonia is currently analyzing a report on the project.
The report provides a detailed roadmap for the implementation of the project, including the selection of municipalities and financing.
The project is expected to have a significant impact on the lives of older people and young people in Catalonia, promoting active aging and facilitating youth emancipation.
