The Viure Plan of Barcelona and its Measures to Combat the Housing Shortage
Jaume Collboni, mayor of Barcelona, has presented an ambitious plan to address the serious problem of access to housing in the city. The Viure Plan seeks to address the shortage of affordable housing, high rental prices and the need for youth emancipation.
One of the notable measures is the initiative to recover the 10,000 tourist apartments in Barcelona within a period of four years, so that they are available on the rental or sale market for local residents. According to Mayor Collboni, it is expected that by 2029 the figure of the tourist apartment as it is currently known will disappear.
Application of the Decree of the Generalitat
The city council plans to apply the Decree approved by the Generalitat at the end of 2023, which regulates tourist homes. This measure represents an opportunity to recover a large number of homes for residential use, since the 10,000 tourist homes will lose their validity in November 2028.
The deputy mayor, Laia Bonet, highlighted the effort made by the city council in the fight against illegal tourist apartments in recent months.
Modifications to the 30% Reserve
In addition to the recovery of tourist apartments, the Viure Plan contemplates changes in the reserve of 30% of new developments and large rehabilitations for protected housing. This measure seeks to optimize the effectiveness of public policy, since since its approval in 2018, only licenses have been granted for 93 homes, of which only 8 have been executed, figures well below initial expectations.