Barcelona City Council has committed to building 1,500 new social housing units by 2037. This initiative renews a key agreement with non-profit developers to expand affordable housing options across the city.
The municipal government reaffirmed its commitment on Tuesday morning. It met with representatives from Habicoop, Cohabitac, Xes, and GHS. These organisations are signatories of the ESAL convention, which groups all non-profit social housing developers in Barcelona. The council has collaborated with these groups since 2020.
The ESAL convention involves the council ceding public land and providing repayable aid. This support allows the non-profit entities to construct protected housing in various city neighbourhoods. The new agreement specifically targets the construction of 1,500 additional flats on municipal plots. These units will be available for rent or use-assignment. This new agreement covers the period from 2027 to 2037.
Fourth Deputy Mayor for Economy, Housing, Finance, and Tourism, Jordi Valls, stated the new convention will "continue working jointly with non-profit entities to increase the city's protected housing stock." He emphasised the need to "involve all possible actors in housing construction to do so in the quickest, most efficient, and sustainable way possible." Valls also highlighted the ESAL convention as "one of the fundamental pillars of the council's housing production strategy."
New Developments Across Barcelona
Officials presented the first package of land plots during the meeting. These plots are located in the districts of Horta-Guinardó, Sant Martí, Sants-Montjuïc, Gràcia, and Les Corts. The council will grant surface rights to social entities for building 233 homes on these sites. This initial allocation represents a significant step towards the 2037 target.
The ESAL convention brings together several experienced social housing management entities. These include the Social and Solidarity Economy Network (XES), the Federation of Housing Cooperatives of Catalonia (Habicoop), the Coordinator of Social Housing Foundations (Cohabitac), and the Association of Social Housing Policy Managers (GHS). Their collective expertise helps ensure efficient project delivery.
Progress from the First Agreement
The first ESAL convention, signed in 2020, is nearing completion of all land transfers. It has already led to the creation of over 1,000 protected housing units (HPO) on 28 plots across various city neighbourhoods. This initial success provides a strong foundation for the renewed commitment.
The council expects to sign surface rights for the final 11 plots from the last three phases of the first convention this year, 2026. This will finalise the land allocation for the initial agreement.
Keys have already been handed over for three developments under the first agreement. These include properties at Sant Martí street, 12-14, and Llar Barceloneta at Passeig de Joan de Borbó, 44. Both of these are in the Ciutat Vella district, a central area of Barcelona. Another completed project is at Binèfar street, 26, located in the Sant Martí district.
A lottery for another delegated development is scheduled for the coming weeks. This project is situated at Avinguda de Vallcarca, 118. All homes in these developments are allocated through a lottery for individuals registered in the Barcelona Official Protected Housing Applicants Register (RSHPO). This ensures fair access to affordable housing.
Barcelona's Long-Term Housing Strategy
The municipal government's commitment, outlined in the Pla Viure (Living Plan), aims to guarantee the right to housing. It also seeks to enable residents to remain in Barcelona, a city facing significant housing challenges. This involves increasing the public housing stock with the participation of all possible stakeholders.
The new ESAL convention will channel and strengthen housing promotion through social housing developers. This comes as the previous 2020 agreement is now fully planned, with all land plots in various stages of processing. The continuity of this partnership is critical for addressing the city's housing needs.
This renewed partnership shows Barcelona's ongoing dedication to creating a more equitable and accessible housing market. It ensures long-term efforts to provide affordable homes for its residents and strengthens the city's social fabric.
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Originally published by Barcelona City Council Press Room. Read original article.
