The Government will contribute 110 million to build 1,788 homes in Barcelona

Barcelona faces the lack of access to affordable housing as one of its biggest problems. In this context, the Govern has committed to contributing 110 million euros to build 1,788 homes in Barcelona in the coming years in various projects.

On the one hand, the Govern of Salvador Illa plans to allocate 88 million for Incasòl to build 637 homes in Barcelona, on eleven plots ceded by the city council. In addition, it will co-finance with another 22 million the construction of 1,151 affordable homes by the Municipal Housing Institute (Imhab) until 2027, as agreed in the mixed commission between both institutions.

Led by the mayor, Jaume Collboni, and the Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau, the commission has also pointed to the need to regulate seasonal rentals and safeguard the elimination of tourist flats in the Catalan capital by 2028. Also in the tourism sector, the Govern has committed to raising the cap on the tourist tax surcharge from four to eight euros per overnight stay in Barcelona, promoting the necessary legal and regulatory changes.

"Barcelona has opened a new stage in housing matters," defended Dalmau, who was municipal manager with Collboni until he was appointed minister in the summer. The minister and the mayor appeared jointly after the meeting, in an intervention that they opened with the reading of a manifesto on the housing situation in Barcelona.

In addition, the Generalitat has announced that it will buy the four Hospital Clínic properties distributed throughout the city that the hospital put up for auction but which remained unsold. This purchase will involve about ten million euros from the Generalitat, while the City Council will acquire the fifth property through the right of first refusal. The five buildings came from donations from citizens to the health center, and include homes with 55 families.

L4, to La Sagrera

In addition, the Generalitat and the City Council have agreed to advance in the extension of metro line L4, to connect it between La Pau and La Sagrera. Specifically, both institutions have agreed to award the executive project for the project before the end of this year. Although it is a short three-kilometer section, this extension will improve connectivity between L1, L5, L9 and Rodalies, as well as high-speed rail.

In the field of health, the Generalitat has committed a contribution of 15 million for the expansion of Hospital del Mar. In addition, it has prioritized advancing in the new facilities of Hospital Vall d'Hebron, with the tender for works of the first phase for 40 million euros, and with the promotion of the works of the Vall d'Hebron Institut d'Oncologia.