Overview

• Barcelona City Council and the Generalitat formalized the transfer of 11 municipal plots in Sant Martí and Sants-Montjuïc for the Habitar B! programme, which will deliver 594 protected rental homes.
• The Institut Català del Sòl resolved seven of nine design contests, appointing architectural teams for nine promotions totaling 433 units and scheduling the remaining two contests in coming months.
• The first nine projects will begin construction in the first quarter of 2027 and finish by the second quarter of 2029 under an €81.66 million Incasòl investment.
• The Habitar B! initiative aims to add 1,700 affordable homes in Barcelona by 2030 within a broader Catalan goal of 50,000 units, building on 6,473 public residences delivered since 1980.
• Officials highlight the need for streamlined approvals and public-private collaboration to address land scarcity and bureaucratic challenges against a backdrop of rents that have risen 70 percent over the last decade.