Pedro Sánchez highlights the key role of cities in the government priority of designing and implementing national and European housing policies

Congress Palace of Catalonia, Barcelona

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, meets with the mayors of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and Barcelona, ​​Jaume Collboni (Pool Moncloa / Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has held a meeting with the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, after taking part in the opening ceremony of the 40th Annual Meeting of the Cercle d'Economia at Barcelona's Palau de Congressos de Catalunya.

The chief executive shared with the three councillors, promoters and members of the "Mayors for Housing" initiative, the key role played by cities in the design and implementation of national and European housing policies, reaffirming before them that the government over which he presides has made housing its priority.

The Government of Spain is committed to guaranteeing the right to affordable housing, which its policies clearly demonstrate. First, the adoption of the first Housing Law in democratic times, and a record budget that has risen from €481 million in 2018 to €3.74 billion in 2024. The Executive has also promoted initiatives such as the Reference Price Index, which has meant the price of rent falling by 3.7% in one year without reducing supply. In addition, more than 80,000 affordable rental housing units are already in place, with the aim of reaching a public housing stock of 9%. A single state register has been created, and it has been regulated that the permission of the neighbourhood council is required for Tourist Use Dwellings (VUT). Furthermore, the Government has introduced a Youth Rental Voucher of €250 per month, endowed with €200 million per year, which has already reached more than 66,000 young people.

Spain also has a Housing Plan, with 12 measures that include the creation of a Public Housing Company, a Housing PERTE, personal income tax exemptions for regulated prices and the shielding of public state housing. It has also limited the purchase of housing by non-resident non-EU nationals.

"Mayors for Housing" is an initiative involving 15 European cities (Barcelona, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Athens, Bologna, Budapest, Ghent, Leipzig, Lisbon, Lyon, Warsaw, Milan, Zagreb and Florence), aimed at greater decision-making power for cities in housing matters and greater capacity to regulate housing, as well as access to direct funding sources for cities. Its initiatives include a letter to the President of the Commission in December 2024, the submission of proposals to the Executive Vice-President and the Commissioner for Housing in February 2025, and the European Housing Action Plan to influence the European Affordable Housing Plan foreseen for 2026.

Non official translation