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Basque Parliament Approves Urgent Housing Law to Boost Supply and Curb Tourist Flats

Most provisions activate after publication in the Basque official bulletin.

Overview

  • The law allows municipalities to lower protected-housing quotas on urbanizable land from 75% to 60% to revive stalled developments.
  • Procedural changes consolidate reviews into a single report per administration, prioritize positive administrative silence, and adjust contract rules, with an expected eight‑month cut in permitting time.
  • New tourist flats are barred in municipalities designated as high‑pressure zones such as Bilbao, Vitoria, San Sebastián, Barakaldo, and Galdakao, with automatic REATE registration denials.
  • Fines ranging from €3,001 to €20,000 will apply to landlords who breach pricing rules in tensioned areas, and tenants can report violations through official channels.
  • The measure creates a strategic land reserve by shifting 5% of planned municipal land to the housing department and permits up to two extra storeys on VPO rooftops, with six pilot projects and a goal of roughly 2,000 new temporary units.