Barcelona signs €22m deal with government to build 1,151 new public housing units

The Catalan government will provide Barcelona City Council with €22 million to build 1,151 new public housing units over the next three years. 

Territory minister Sílvia Paneque and Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni signed an agreement on Wednesday to fund projects that have already started or are expected to begin between 2025 and 2027. 

The 1,151 homes will be spread across 19 developments in eight districts and 16 neighborhoods of the city. 

Five developments will be located in Gràcia, four in Sant Andreu, two in each of Eixample, Sants-Monjuïc, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, and Nou Barris, and one in each of Les Corts and Sant Martí. 

"Today we confirm that changing the rules of the game is a priority for both governments, and that it is through the combined efforts of creating a public housing system that we can overcome the current situation and ensure that young people and new families can build their home in Barcelona," Collboni said at the signing ceremony held at Barcelona City Hall.  

The agreement is a result of the last bilateral meeting between the government and the city council, held in November. 

This contribution to fund new public housing in Barcelona is in addition to the €88 million from the government for the construction of 600 homes on 11 plots by Incasòl (the Catalan Housing Agency), agreed in early 2024. 

As part of the Incasòl agreement, the council has already agreed the definitive transfer of the surface rights for ten city plots to Incasòl for the construction of 582 social housing units, with the condition that Incasòl completes the construction of these homes within a maximum of five years, or six years for developments with more than 150 homes. 

Construction is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2029, with an estimated investment of €82.81 million from Incasòl.