Barcelona
Barcelona

Barcelona

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Population (AI)

1,620,343

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Last edited
Oct 8, 2024 10:22 AM
Category
Prio-25Prio-10
Local programs

The city of Barcelona has set ambitious targets for affordable and sustainable housing. Key objectives include: - **Increasing Affordable Housing Stock**: The city aims to expand its public housing stock, with a goal of 15% of primary residences being social or affordable housing. Recent agreements, such as the one between the City Council and the Consorci de la Zona Franca from Barcelona (CZFB), plan to construct almost 2,000 officially protected homes (VPO) in districts like Sant Andreu and Sants-Montjuïc. - **Sustainable Housing Models**: Barcelona promotes innovative, environmentally friendly housing models, including the use of shipping containers for industrialized construction and sustainable materials like cross-laminated timber (CLT) in projects like La Borda. - **Acquisition and Rehabilitation**: The city acquires and rehabilitates existing buildings to prevent speculation and increase affordable housing. Between 2015 and 2022, the Barcelona City Council invested nearly 150 million euros in acquiring over 40 buildings, adding almost a thousand homes to the public housing stock. - **Cooperative Housing**: The city supports cooperative housing models, such as La Borda, which prioritize community living and sustainability, and are isolated from private market pressures. - **National and Local Coordination**: Barcelona's housing policies are aligned with national goals, such as the 2016 Right to Housing plan, which aims to prevent and address housing emergencies and residential exclusion. Local programs, including the acquisition of vacant apartments for social housing, work in tandem with national policies to strengthen the social housing sector.

Housing Market

The current housing market in Barcelona is characterized by rising prices and strong demand. Here is a summary of key statistics and trends: - **Average Property Price**: The average property price in Barcelona reached €4,317 per square meter by the end of the first quarter of 2024, a 6.25% increase compared to the same period in 2023. - **Rental Prices**: The average rental price ended March 2024 at €20.7 per square meter, a 12.50% increase compared to March 2023. - **Sales**: The first quarter of 2024 saw a 3.8% decrease in property sales in the province of Barcelona compared to the same period in 2023, with 15,785 properties sold. - **Ownership and Rental**: Specific data on the total number of housing units, the percentage of renters versus owners, and the exact share of public, social, and cooperative housing in Barcelona is not provided in the available sources. However, it is noted that the new rental law has impacted the rental market, potentially reducing the attractiveness of renting out properties. - **Investment**: Real estate investment in Barcelona is expected to grow by 10% in 2024, reaching 2 billion euros, with a focus on hotel and industrial sectors. Public, social, and cooperative housing play a role in Barcelona, but specific data on their share in the housing market is not available in the provided sources. The new rental law and housing policies are expected to influence the market, particularly in terms of affordability and supply.

Further Actors?

In Barcelona, several individuals and organizations across various sectors could be interesting conversation partners and collaborators for building more affordable and sustainable housing: 1. **Academic Institutions**: - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) - Architecture and Urban Planning departments. - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) - Urban Studies and Planning. 2. **NGOs**: - Habitat3 - Focused on sustainable urban development. - Observatori DESC - Advocates for the right to housing. 3. **Political Actors**: - Barcelona City Council, particularly the Housing Department. - Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona, known for her housing policies. 4. **Impact Investors**: - Triodos Bank - Known for sustainable and ethical investments. - BBVA's Sustainability and Responsible Business department. 5. **Manufacturers and Construction Companies**: - CZFB (Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona) - Involved in urban development projects. - Sorigué - A construction company with sustainable practices. 6. **Startups**: - Housfy - A real estate tech company focusing on affordable housing. - Inviertis - A platform for sustainable real estate investments. 7. **Real Estate Developers**: - Neinor Homes - Focused on sustainable residential development. - Aedas Homes - Committed to sustainable and affordable housing. 8. **Architecture Firms**: - Lacol - Known for cooperative and sustainable housing projects like La Borda. - SAa Sauquet Arquitectes i Associats - Specialized in public housing projects. 9. **Housing Cooperatives**: - La Borda - A cooperative housing project in Barcelona. - Sostre Cívic - A cooperative promoting affordable housing. These organizations and individuals are key players in Barcelona's efforts to create more affordable and sustainable housing.

Cooperatives

In Barcelona, housing cooperatives play a significant role in providing affordable and community-driven housing solutions. These cooperatives operate under a "cession of use" model, where members collectively manage and maintain properties, rejecting traditional ownership and speculation. The city council actively supports cooperative housing through various initiatives, including the creation of a cooperative housing committee and the allocation of municipal sites for cohousing projects. The "cession of use" model, promoted by groups like Sostre Cívic, allows members to use housing units on a fixed and indefinite basis over time, with the cooperative retaining ownership. This model aims to prevent speculation and ensure affordable housing. There are over 50 such projects in Catalonia, involving more than 1,000 housing units. Key projects include La Borda, a pioneering cooperative project, and Princesa 49. The city council has also launched public tenders for municipal sites allocated to cohousing, resulting in 10 developments currently in progress. While specific market share data is not available, the city's efforts to promote cooperative housing are evident through the establishment of new projects and support for existing ones. The city aims to increase the public housing stock and address the housing emergency through these initiatives.