Pedro Sánchez highlights the application of the Housing Law in the Basque Country to facilitate access to housing

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, visits the rooftop of an affordable rental home (Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has visited in Vitoria-Gasteiz a development of 152 affordable rental homes in the Salburua neighbourhood, co-financed by the Government of Spain with funds from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. There, he highlighted the application of the Housing Law in the Basque Country to facilitate access to housing. Vitoria-Gasteiz has seen rental prices increase by 21% in the last five years, and has recently been declared a stressed area so that measures can be applied to reduce the increase in rental prices.

During his visit to this development, which has already been completed, the head of the Executive was accompanied by the Minister for Housing and Urban Agenda, Isabel Rodríguez; the Government Delegate in the Basque Country, María Soledad Garmendia; the Basque Government Minister for Housing and Urban Agenda, Denis Itxaso; and the Mayoress of Vitoria, Maider Etxebarria.

Under the government of Pedro Sánchez, the first Housing Law since the country's return to democracy has been approved and the housing policy budget has increased eightfold, as part of the government's commitment to make housing the fifth pillar of the welfare state. With the Reference Price Index that has been established, the rental price is reduced by 5% where it is applied. In addition, measures such as the Platform to combat tourist apartment fraud have been implemented and the so-called "Golden Visa", which offered residence visas to those who invest in housing in Spain, has been abolished.

Pedro Sánchez speaks with residents during a visit to a development of 152 affordable rental homes in Vitoria-Gasteiz | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Also, at the national level, more than 80,000 affordable rental homes have been built; 15.3 billion euros have been invested in the Recovery Plan for urban rehabilitation and, in the last year, there has been a 62% increase in social housing and a 13% increase in private housing. Also noteworthy are the ICO guarantees, with 50,000 beneficiaries, and the PERTE for Housing to which 1.3 billion euros have been allocated.

Application of the Housing Law

The Basque Government is applying the Housing Law, and eleven municipalities have already been declared as stressed areas, including, in addition to Vitoria-Gasteiz, Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián, Irún, Barakaldo, Zumaia and Errentería. Since 2018, the Government has transferred 260 million euros to the Basque Country for the construction or renovation of more than 17,000 homes; 55 million euros from the PIREP programme (Programme to Promote the Rehabilitation of Public Buildings in Autonomous Communities and Cities) and 36 million euros from the 2% cultural programme for historical heritage. In addition, as part of the Recovery Plan, the government signed an agreement to invest 48.5 million euros in 1,140 energy-efficient homes for social rental, of which 318 are located in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Non official translation