Catalan government approves €1 billion package for housing

The Catalan government approved a package of approximately €1 billion Tuesday, to be used on housing policies within the framework of Spain's 2026-2030 housing plan.

Catalan President, Salvador Illa, announced the package, noting that the amount represents roughly 15% of the total resources allocated across Spain by the program. 

Of the €1 billion, the Spanish government will contribute around 60% while Catalonia will provide 40%. Illa emphasized that these policies "will not yield results tomorrow," but reaffirmed the need for "concrete, tangible actions with a clear, explained plan" regarding housing.

"If we do not begin to implement serious and consistent public policies over time, we will not be able to solve this," he said. 

The package will support six types of initiatives, including €304.5 million for rental assistance for young people, €304.5 million for renovation of 20,300 housing units, and €260.7 million for the acquisition of 3,070 properties by the Housing Agency of Catalonia.

Additionally, the package supports a new "reinforcement" initiative for municipalities and social organizations that will enable them to exercise rights of first refusal, allowing them to purchase properties at a price higher than the one originally set, something the government says will increase the likelihood of this mechanism being used. 

A total of €77.7 million will be directed toward public rental housing developments, which are expected to yield 3,825 homes. This includes, among other measures, grants of €20,000 per unit for new-build rental projects developed by public entities under the '50,000 Plan.'

€37.6 million will be allocated to "cooperatives and inclusion," supporting the creation of 1,040 homes. This encompasses development grants as well as specific aid for social organizations.

Up to €29.8 million will be dedicated to the transfer of housing units, a mechanism through which the government expects to secure 1,000 homes.

The administration states that these financial resources serve to "reinforce" existing housing policies already underway.