In the fight once morest the housing shortage, Barcelona wants to abolish the rental of holiday apartments by the end of 2028. All apartments that are currently legally rented to tourists for a short stay would then be able to be used by residents of the metropolis in northeastern Spain, says Mayor Jaume Collboni. “From 2029, there will no longer be holiday apartments in the city of Barcelona as we know them today. And that will allow us to bring 10,000 accommodations onto the rental or sales market,” he said. That will be equivalent to “building 10,000 apartments.”
The mayor pointed out that rental prices in the Catalan capital have risen by almost 70 percent and purchase prices by around 40 percent in the last ten years. The city administration is therefore forced to take drastic measures by decree to guarantee access to affordable housing. The existing licenses will not be renewed following they expire.
“We cannot allow the majority of young people who want to leave their parents’ home to be forced to leave Barcelona,” said the socialist politician. This measure will not end the housing shortage overnight. “These problems take time. But with this measure we are marking a turning point.”
Discontent with mass tourism is growing rapidly in Spain. There have recently been major protests in tourist hotspots such as Barcelona, Mallorca and the Canary Islands. There, the increasing number of visitors is blamed in particular for the lack of affordable housing, but also for environmental destruction, traffic jams, overcrowding, price increases and water shortages, as well as for the overloading of the health sector and waste disposal.
The association for tourist accommodation in Barcelona spoke out once morest the move: “Collboni is making a mistake that will lead to more poverty and unemployment.” The ban will lead to more illegal tourist accommodation.
