2017 ASSESSMENT BARCELONA RIGHT TO HOUSING PLAN FOR 2016-2025 - Habitatge
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2017 ASSESSMENT
BARCELONA RIGHT TO
HOUSING PLAN FOR 2016-2025
BCN
Barcelona Right to Housing Plan for 2016-2025 2017 Assessment
CONTENTS
PRESENTATION 8 5. SOCIAL EMERGENCIES, A PRIORITY 56
HOUSING POLICIES IN BARCELONA FOR 2016-2019 10 5.1. Boards in the districts for tackling housing problems 58
1. MAKING HOUSING POLICIES MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC 16 5.2. Accommodation aid for emergency situations 60
1.1. Boosting the role of the Housing Offices 18 5.3. Eviction follow-up and support mechanisms 62
1.2. Providing advice for protecting energy rights 20 5.4. Assistance for people in a situation of risk of residential exclusion 64
4
1.3. Publicising rights and services 21 5.5. Mediation service for defaults or difficulties in rent or mortgage 65
5
Barcelona Right to 1.4. The Social Housing Council 22 payments Barcelona Right to
Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for 2016-2025
2016-2025
Promoting decent jobs 5.6. Public Housing Protection, Intervention and Mediation Service 66
1.5. 24 Housing
Housing
1.6. Dissemination workshops 26 5.7. Inclusive housing for vulnerable collectives 68
5.8. Assistance for the ageing citizens 69
2. A UNIFIED ENTITY FOR A NEW HOUSING POLICY 28
5.9. Accommodation for refugees 70
2.1. The public rental housing stock 30
5.10. Assistance for people living in settlements. 71
2.2. Social aid for public housing payments 31
5.11. Attending to homeless people 72
2.3. Awarding public housing to the various collective applicants 33
5.12. Intervening against squatting 74
2.4. New funding for public housing
36 5.13 Extending home-sharing programmes 75
3. GAINING KNOWLEDGE FOR PLANNING AND ACTING 38 6. AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK ON THE RISE 76
3.1. The Barcelona Metropolitan Housing Observatory 40 6.1. Promoting public housing 80
3.2. Finding out about the state of the dwellings 42 6.2. Impetus to assigned-use housing cooperatives 81
3.3. The ageing of the population, an increasingly widespread situation 43 6.3. A metropolitan public-private affordable-rent operator 82
3.4. Empty housing, neighbourhood-to-neighbourhood census-taking 44 6.4. Affordable rental-housing promotions from social entities 83
3.5 Vacant land sites 46 6.5. New housing models with official protection 84
4. THE PROBLEMS OF RENTING AND GENTRIFICATION 48 6.6. Increasing the availability of shelters 85
Measures for monitoring free-market rent prices 50 6.7. New land sites for housing with official protection and special services 86
4.1.
4.2. Preventing gentrification 51 6.8. Acquisition of dwellings and buildings for social rental housing 89
Protecting regular housing 52 6.9. From private free-market to affordable rental housing 90
4.3.
6.10. More affordable housing thanks to renovations 92
4.4 Inspecting tourist-use dwellings 53
6.11. Rent payment subsidies for housing maintenance 94
CONTENTS
7. COMMITMENT TO RENOVATION 96
7.1. Renovation grants 98
7.2. Improving housing accessibility 102
7.3. Active renovation mechanisms 103
7.4. Implementation of the Neighbourhood Plan 105
6 7
8. HOUSING-RELATED DISCIPLINARY ACTION 108
Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for 8.1. Disciplinary action over substandard and overcrowded housing 110 2016-2025
2016-2025
8.2. Penalising empty dwellings 111 Housing
Housing
8.3. Protocol in response to evictions 113
8.4. Disciplinary action over lack of conservation of dwellings 114
ANNEXE 1: SUMMARY OF THE QUANTITATIVE GOALS TO THE 116
BARCELONA RIGHT TO HOUSING PLAN FOR 2016-2025
ANNEXE 2: INITIATIVES PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE BARCELONA 120
RIGHT TO HOUSING PLAN FOR 2016-2025
PRESENTATION
Josep Maria Montaner
Councillor for Housing and Renovation
The goal behind this Right to Housing are the main bodies with responsibility ute a number of flats under its charge to
Plan is to reverse a trend, that of a lack for this matter, which they have author- the Emergencies Board - 60% - and not
of housing policies, which has put not ity over. Despite that, it is the municipal the 21% as it is presently doing; and nu-
just Barcelona but Catalonia and the rest government that is driving the initiative. merous challenges have been presented
8
of the State at the bottom of Europe in to the Spanish State's Housing Plan to 9
many aspects. In 2017, the City Council invested four raise its budget and take the decision Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to times as much as the Government of to invest in the public housing stock. Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for 2016-2025
2016-2025 An increased public housing stock, de- Catalonia and ten times as much as the
fending the citizens’ right to housing Spanish State for each resident. So, This assessment will provide you with Housing
Housing
over and against corporations, and fight- while the City Council invested €100 information on the second year of the
ing against gentrification and evictions. for every resident, the contributions implementation of the Right to Hous-
These are goals that have to be realised in made by the main institutions respon- ing Plan (2016-2025). So, following the
specific actions under this plan and which sible, the Government of Catalonia structure of the 59 initiatives consid-
are backed up with a significant budg- and the Spanish government, came to
ered under the plan, the relevant re-
etary allocation from the City Council. €24 and €10 per person respectively.
sults, data and indicators for their ap-
plication and evaluation throughout the
However, we should also note, besides Criticism and protests have been made
2017 financial year will be examined.
these actions, the educational and against not just their want of investment
rights-demanding work the City Council but also their lack of policies in defence
is carrying out alongside local residents’ of public housing. That is why Barcelona What is more, we have also added an ar-
associations. The 'right to housing' con- City Council has been working alongside ticle we consider essential as it keeps
cept has entered the language and think- other metropolitan and Spanish cities us up to date. These are data relating to
ing of this world’s players and central fig- to call on the Spanish government to 2018, but which reflect the housing pol-
ures as well as citizens as a whole. amend the Act on Urban Leases (LAU) icies we shall be implementing towards
and thereby increase the length of leas- the end of our term of office. Policies that
This is because, in championing es and control over rent-price increases. we are convinced represent a key step
everything this concept represents, the At the same time, support has also been towards changing the course of the city
City Council is calling on the other au- given to the initiative from citizens and towards defending and demanding the
thorities to also commit themselves to associations to increase the public rent- right to housing and towards increasing
promoting housing policies. The Govern- al housing stock. The Government of Cat- the public housing stock.
ment of Catalonia and the Spanish State alonia has also been called on to contrib-
HOUSING POLICIES IN BAR-
CELONA FOR 2016-2019
Javier Burón
Manager for Housing and Renovation
These last few years have seen an in- Note too the impetus given to the crea- a notable increase in the number of grants and accessibility (especially
crease in available resources - both hu- tion of temporary shelters, in response units attended to that were in a situ- with the installation of lifts).
man and financial - for implementing to household units urgently in need of ation of risk of eviction. So, the num-
the new housing policies considered shelter, as from the start of the APROP ber of household units assisted rose This boosting of the renovation poli-
10
under the Barcelona Right to Housing project for building 91 new shelters. by 246% from 2014. Such increased cy was accompanied by a change of 11
Plan for 2016-2025. To contextualise assistance was due to the proactivi- perspective, which was social (of the Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to the point we are now at, we will have For the purposes of speeding up the pace ty of the municipal services, and not collectives attended to) and territo- Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for 2016-2025
2016-2025 to go over the main data from 2017 of expansion of the available afforda- to a higher number of evictions in the rial (of the priority-action places). It
that make up this assessment of the ble-housing stock, the promotion was city, which according to the manage- was with this aim in mind that the Housing
Housing
Plan and point out the trends for 2018. supplemented with extra private-hous- ment report from the General Council dwellings’ interior-building grants
ing acquisitions. This mechanism helped of the Judiciary (CGPJ) correspond- were redefined. The Department
1. Main landmarks of 2017 to increase the municipal rental-hous- ing to 2017 had dropped by 22%. The of Urban Regeneration was estab-
ing stock with already built housing. services offered by the UCER were lished, with a totally public inter-
Expansion of the affordable-housing Two hundred and eighty-nine dwellings strengthened by the large diversity of vention in improvements, to promote
stock: An ambitious plan for promoting were acquired in 2017, with a further services offered from the Housing Of- initiatives in areas with more serious
affordable housing was launched by the 300 in the process of being acquired. fices, notable among which was the deficiencies where more vulnerable
Barcelona Municipal Institute for Hous- This number of purchases is much higher legal advice provided, which rose to collectives reside, and the Neigh-
ing and Renovation with financial backing than the 69 dwellings acquired in 2015. 13,297 cases, up by 36.2 % on 2016, bourhood Plan was implemented in
from the European Investment Bank and At the same time, it continued with its and the number of rent-related medi- 10 neighbourhoods in the city. The
the Council of Europe Development Bank. commitment to acquiring private hous- ation that reached 1,556, tripling the Neighbourhood Plan led to the crea-
Seven promotions were completed dur- ing, with backing from the Rented Hous- figure for 2015. tion of the renovation programme for
ing 2017, with a total of 407 dwellings, ing Bureau. Following the launch of the high-complexity estates, strength-
doubling the number of dwellings com- 'Key's in your hands' programme at the Finally, 10 Energy Advice Points ening the community accompani-
pleted in 2015. At the same time, 40 pro- end of 2016, offering owners a wide (PAEs) were put up in the city, offer- ment and enabling renovation to be
motions totalling 3,108 dwellings were range of incentives for incorporating ing a cross-cutting protection service tackled in estates where, on numer-
under way by the end of 2017. These their dwellings into the Rented Hous- for energy utilities. ous occasions, no residents’ associ-
promotions will be carried out mainly ing Bureau, 1,017 dwellings were being ation had been found or even set up.
by the recently created Barcelona Mu- managed between the Rented Hous- 1.2. Reconsidering renovation: The reno-
nicipal Institute of Housing and Reno- ing Bureau and the municipal assign- vation policy was re-directed towards 1.3. The proper use of housing: monitoring
vation (IMHAB), although the latter will ment programme by the end of 2017. the more vulnerable environments and control measures were strength-
also receive support form other play- and the allocated funds continued to ened relating to the phenomena of
ers such as rental-housing and build- Finally, rent-payment aid continued to be expanded with a sharp increase pressure being put on residents, who
ing-lease promoting cooperatives and rise, reaching 9,685, well above the 5,077 in the budget, which exceeded the had been leaving in increasing num-
foundations as well as new assigned-use for 2014. annual average for the 2011-2015 by bers, thereby highlighting the gen-
cohousing cooperatives, which are al- €17 million, to almost the €42.5 mil- trification processes taking place in
ready testing out this new model in the 1.1. Emergency assistance and preven- lion allocated in 2017. The increased the Metropolitan Area. This was the
city. It will also receive an impetus from tion: The monitoring and proactivity budget resulted in further grants for goal behind the establishment of the
the new Habitatge Metròpolis Barce- work carried out by the Unit against renovations, which benefited more Co-responsibility Space on Gentrifi-
lona public-private affordable-rental Residential Exclusion (UCER) – the than 18,000 dwellings, compared to cation. This space is meant to enable
housing operator, which was created in service specifically allocated to halt- 10,100 in 2015. The number of dwell- the design and implementation of a
collaboration with the Barcelona Met- ing the impact of the policies that ings with renovation agreements also coordinated strategy which tackles
ropolitan Area (AMB). Land sites also promote speculation and instability rose, as did the number of dwellings the replacement of residents and re-
continued to be activated in 2017, to en- in the rental market – enabled 2,351 that benefited from interior-building tailers and the replacement of uses,
able their future building development. household units to be assisted, with
especially of regular dwellings, with ordination spaces, both among the • The number of staff devoted to Hous- • As for private-to-public housing pro-
tourist uses and the elimination of various municipal departments and ing doubled thanks to the reorgani- grammes, 41% more private dwell-
uses that are leading to certain prop- with citizens in the various districts. sation and creation of the new Barce- ings were incorporated into the pub-
erties becoming vacant. lona Municipal Institute of Housing lic market than in the previous year,
As for information, once the new Bar- and Renovation (IMHAB). achieving the goal set out for 2019
To reduce this pressure on resi- celona Housing website went into of having 1,100 dwellings between
dents, extra inspections were carried operation in 2016, improvements 2.2. Public construction at full speed: the Rental Housing Bureau and the
out for detecting illegal tourist-use continued and specific campaigns more than 4,500 dwellings are cur- municipal housing-assignment pro-
dwellings, which put an end to the developed around energy poverty and rently being built, 80% of which are gramme managed by Habitat3. At
activities of 2,388 dwellings and led renovation. As for coordination spac- public-rental and 20% building-lease this point in 2018, we have already
to the opening of 3,015 disciplinary es, all the districts, except Les Corts, properties (compared to 42% for acquired 1,000 dwellings.
proceedings. The regulatory Byelaw have monitoring boards relating to the public-rental properties during the
on Municipal Intervention Proce- • IMHAB (then known as PMHB)
right to housing according to needs: previous period).
dures in Public Works (ORPIMO) to eviction and high-complexity es- managed close to 7,300 dwell-
ensure that, where there is work on tate-renovation boards, among other • As for promotions, note that the ings in 2017 and 8,400 in 2018.
buildings with residents, the latter things. Finally, as regards the Social coming 4 years will see the construc-
are guaranteed the right, where this Housing Council’s work groups, at- tion of 27% of the total of the public
2.4. Grants for the public: the grants on
exists, to temporary accommodation tended by municipal representatives housing stock, since the former Bar-
offer, for enabling renovations and
and return. and civil society alike, and companies celona Municipal Housing Trust be-
rent payments, have also been fol-
or banks, three new working groups gan building homes in 1927. In other
12
As for vacant dwellings, a census lowed by a sharp rise in trend. 13
were set up in 2017 at the request of words, over a quarter of the total ac-
continued to be made, which was cumulated number of dwellings will • As for rent payments, note that al- Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to several entities: around energy pov-
then extended to cover 11 new neigh- have been built in the next 4 years. most €24 million was spent in 2017 to Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for erty, the expulsion of local residents 2016-2025
2016-2025 bourhoods, bringing the total to 17. cover over 9,000 beneficiary house-
and industrialised construction. • As for promotions under way rep-
This census had already enabled the hold units. This figure will be main- Housing
Housing
identification of 3,609 vacant flats in resenting the historical period with
2. Landmarks for 2018 and future trends tained in 2018 and is set to continue
these neighbourhoods, representing the most production of public hous-
in 2019, according to the trends. Note
only 1.52% of the total number of ing in the city, note that the trend is
Work continued in 2018 along the lines that there were 5000 beneficiaries
dwellings, demonstrating the strong pointing to our having, by 2019, 20%
established in 2017, boosting municipal and €10 million invested in 2014.
pressure on housing in the city. of dwellings completed, 36% under
action, especially along some key lines, construction and 44% in the pipeline. • As regards renovation grants, a fur-
such as promotion, acquisition, attract- ther €4.3 million was invested than
Finally, note that some of the tasks • This means that the coming 4 years
ing new affordable housing, renovation of in 2015, increasing to over 25 million
carried out in 2017 were done with will see 138% more dwellings deliv-
vulnerable environments and prevention in 2017, an investment that will be
the support of people hired under job and attention to emergencies. The trends ered and 820% more dwellings under
schemes: the vacant dwellings cen- maintained in 2018.
in 2018 will determine the possibility of construction or in the pipeline than
sus, advice and training on energy achieving the Plan’s goals in the face of in the previous 4 years.
poverty and campaigns for the ac- 2019 and laying the foundations for the
tive incorporation of housing to the These data point to and highlight some
new municipal housing policies. 2.3. Acquiring and attracting private of the City Council's main housing in-
affordable-housing market launched
by the Housing Bureau. These plans housing to extend the public hous- vestments. Investments most of which
Very considerable effort had been made ing stock: Given the shortage of af- generally revert to Barcelona City Coun-
enable the combination of training since 2016 in all the established work
and action, so that they represent fordable housing, work has also been cil and which therefore represent a huge
lines, so that the situation being experi- carried out on acquisitions and pur- effort from the local authority which, in
the application of an economic-pro- enced in Barcelona could be tackled and
motion and social-impetus model. chases, which have so far enabled contrast, lacks the relevant jurisdiction
it was crucial for the new housing pol- the City Council to incorporate over in this field. The IMHAB is currently im-
icies to be launched and consolidated. 750 dwellings into its housing stock. plementing municipal housing policies
1.4. Assisting citizens and co-respon- while providing resources, under the
The last 4 years saw the acquisition
sibility: making housing policies 2.1. Huge efforts in human and financial relevant agreement, and performing the
of 249 dwellings.
accessible to the public is essen- resources: The 2016-2019 period will Barcelona Housing Consortium’s ser-
tial if we are to improve assistance, see the City Council investing close • A census on vacant dwellings was
vices. The Consortium is a legally incor-
especially for the more vulnerable to €183 million in housing in its direct taken for the first time and used
porated entity, 60% of which is owned
collectives. This was the aim behind budget. This represents a 160% in- for linking the results to sever-
by the Generalitat regional government
the work that continued through- crease on the previous period. al municipal services for offering
of Catalonia and 40% by Barcelona
out 2017 in communications on the renovation-promoting measures,
• If we take account of external fund- City Council. This distribution ought to
matter of housing for enabling ac- services for attracting private dwell-
ing too, and the capital and land site correspond as well to the funding al-
cess to the services offered, the ings over to the public housing
initiatives, the amount of funds ded- located by each of these authorities,
establishment of new work groups market or disciplinary measures.
icated to housing went up 2.5 times, although during the 2015-2019 peri-
in the Barcelona Council for Social
with close to €990 million.
Housing and the creation of new co-
od, in an area such as renovation, 81% So then, by declaring their explicit rejec- rent draft of the plan, which has al- • Do away with the tax privileges of
of the public resources allocated to it tion of the new plan and the current trend ready been shown to be inefficient. the investment funds and REITs or
was contributed by the City Council. for reducing State budgets allocated to link them to the promotion of af-
• Provide for renovation grants intend-
housing, the above-mentioned local au- fordable rental housing, to put a
ed for small-property owners and
3. Jurisdiction over housing thorities agree on the need to: halt to the speculative investments
for such measures not to lead, in ex-
that have been expelling local res-
• Amend the Act on Urban Leases change, to a disproportionate rise in
Despite the considerable investment al- idents from their neighbourhoods.
(LAU) and extend the length of leases rental prices on the private market.
located, both in human and financial re-
and avoid rent increases.
sources, by the City Council, this is not • Launch tax measures that put an and the Generalitat regional govern-
sufficient for tackling phenomena such • Reverse the budgetary cuts of the end to profits from REITs (Real Es- ment of Catalonia to:
as gentrification, control over the dis- last few years, seeing that if we con- tate Investment Trusts), given that
• Introduce a reference price index
proportionate increase in rental prices, tinue along that line, public housing such companies are having a neg-
in the future Act on Catalan Urban
the replacement of regular dwellings policies will disappear within five ative impact on the social level of
Leases.
with tourist flats or the investment of years. To change this situation, they the rental-housing market and yield
speculative funds in property, as those are requesting that the budget goes profits in excess of €5 billion thanks • Use this index as a tool for ena-
would require amendments to the cur- up from its expected €467 million (al- to tax exemptions and allowances. bling restrictions to rent prices and
rent regional and State regulations. located to the whole of the Spanish not just as a tool for transparency.
State) to €2,000 million for 2018. This This series of proposals does not fea-
• Include the efforts made by families
2017 marked the tenth anniversary of the is the first step for rising above the ture in the State's new legislative hous-
to pay their rent as an indispensa-
14 Catalan Right to Housing Act's coming 0.059% of the GNP (which is what the ing plan for the next four years. This lack 15
ble indicator linked to the index, so
into force. The change of approach would current investment represents) to of response is especially serious, given
that housing policies geared towards Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to be aimed at transforming the housing 1.5% of the GNP in 10 years, to put that all the proposals raised have come Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for regulating rent prices can be coor-
market in the most structural way pos- the Spanish State on the same lev- from responsible, street-level analyses 2016-2025
2016-2025 dinated, taking family incomes into
sible for its adaptation to the new real- el as the other European countries made by local governments. In Barcelo- Housing
account.
Housing ities. Added to that, the problems that acting as benchmarks for housing. na's case, the City Council took on the
arise from the lack of investment and of The last few years have seen budget public rental-property promotions prac-
a project in public housing policies from housing allocations drop by 70%. tically on its own, contributing roughly So, and in conclusion, we note that huge
the Spanish Government are having a a third of the funding of rental-prop- financial effort made by Barcelona City
• Increase the resources available for
direct impact on municipalities, which erty grants, over half of the grants for Council is resulting in a context with a
boosting the public rental-housing
are the authorities that ultimately have renovation and practically all the oth- lack of jurisdiction. A fact that limits the
stock. Spain's current rate of af-
to take on evictions and the problems er housing-policy-related expenses. City Council's capacity for influence and
fordable rental housing is a mere
that cause indiscriminate rises in rent- solutions when it comes to structurally
2.5%, an insufficient housing stock
al prices and lead to a lack of a public Barcelona City Council repeated its calls fighting the consequences of the lack of
for covering the needs of citizens. As
housing stock at affordable rent prices. on other authorities with jurisdiction affordable housing, the housing emer-
for benchmark countries for housing
over housing. Meanwhile, the City Coun- gency and the rise in prices being seen in
policies, their public housing-stock
Spain’s regulations have included a cil presented the Plenary Council of all Barcelona. The Barcelona Right to Hous-
percentages are far removed from
new State Housing Plan for 2018-2021, the city’s districts with a motion to call ing Plan offers a roadmap for the future,
Spain’s: 24% for Austria and 17% for
since March 2018. Local governments on where quantitative goals are achieved at
the United Kingdom and France.
brought about several amendments a good pace thanks to the hard efforts of
throughout 2017, first through challeng- • Have the Official Credit Institute’s the State government to: the municipal authority and despite its
es and later through a meeting with the funding lines, and the Spanish Gov- lack of relevant jurisdiction and regula-
• Repeal the amendments, restricting
Secretary of State for Infrastructure, ernment will have to support these tions. At the same time, if we want these
lines. lessees’ rights, made to the Act on efforts to be consolidated, we’ll have to
Transport and Housing last December.
Urban Leases (LAU) of 2013 and re- work together for a structural change
• Expand the range of possibilities cover 5-year leases.
The Executive Decree approved by the over housing and its planning on both re-
for the creation of and access to of-
Council of Ministers on 9 March 2018 • Restrict price rises among con- gional and state levels.
ficial protected housing with new
failed to satisfy the expectations of the housing-tenure models that guar- tracts in accordance with price ref-
municipalities that presented amend- antee permanent public owner- erences in the area, to the state
ments. Cities such as Madrid, Barce- ship of the land site, such as hous- of the housing, the investment
lona, Valencia, Zaragoza, Cadiz, A Co- ing cooperatives and assigned use. made in it and the features of the
runya and Santiago de Compostela area the housing is located in.
expressed their unease, given that their • Compel banks and Sareb, which were
main proposals for meeting the emer- rescued with public money, to incor-
gencies each of them has been expe- porate properties in housing funds
riencing fell outside the State plan. allocated to social rent. These con-
tributions are voluntary in the cur-
1.
MAKING HOUSING POLICIES MORE
ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC
Establishing more accessible the public and their mechanisms
housing policies and which reach and tools more understandable.
the population that need it has
been one of the keys aspects of A new impetus has also been
the Right to Housing Plan. given to the Barcelona Social
Housing Council, by organising
The important thing here is to new working groups that have
offer information, as well as make helped to arrange the new
these services more accessible to housing policy’s key issues.
What aspects have we been working on to make
housing policies more accessible to citizens? Ciutat Vella Housing Office Website portal habitatge.barcelona
16 17
Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for Publicising services and raising awareness of rights Strengthened participation 2016-2025
2016-2025
2016 2017 Housing
Housing
2015 2016-017
• Creation of a website portal • Campaigns:
(habitatge.barcelona) with all • Barcelona Right to Housing • Creation of numerous
its services linked to housing. Plan for 2016-2025, the working groups for
city's first housing plan, providing an impetus to the
• Campaigns:
with citizens taking part (21 Barcelona Social Housing
open meetings). Council.
Promoting decent jobs
Housing, an The Key is in your We’re putting all Renovating your
essential right hands. our energy into home improves
preventing your your life. 2016-2017 2017
electricity, gas and
water supplies from • Creation of job • Incorporation of social
being cut. schemes relating to clauses into contracts
housing policies (84 for renovating dwelling
Making services more accessible to citizens people with jobs): interiors (4 successful
tenderer job-placement
Census of vacant dwellings. companies).
2016 2017
• Internalisation of Housing • Expansion of the Housing Energy-poverty assistance points.
Office staff. Offices team.
• Incorporation of a management • Completion of Impetus to the Rented Housing
expert in every office and 4 introduction of 10 energy- Bureau.
new lawyers. advice points.
• Start of introduction of Energy
Advice Points
1.1
Boosting the role of the
Housing Offices1
Time scale: 2016-2018
Initiative A1.2 Legal advice consultations offered
Under the responsibility of: Barcelona City
Council - Housing Offices
• 2017 saw the establishment of • The number of cases attended 2013 6,796
the new Housing Office team to in Housing Offices has risen
made up of: office head, law- by 22%, to 272,117. This in- 2014 7,081 4%
yer, renovation expert, man- crease was especially focused
agement expert,2 administra- on the Register of Housing Ap- 2015 8,079 14 %
tive expert and information plicants and a decent use of
2016 9,766 21 %
18
officers (who range from one housing ( 28% in both cas- 19
to three in number, depending es) and the Housing Bureau ( 2017 13,297 36 % Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to on the office). 167%). Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for 2016-2025
2016-2025
Housing
• The new Ciutat Vella Housing • The number of legal advice Housing
Office was officially opened consultations on offer is up by
and the Sant Andreu Office's 36% thanks to the incorpora- 13,297
14,000
accessibility improved. The tion in 2016 of four new law-
new Ciutat Vella Office has yers in Housing Offices (13,297 12,000
been a testing ground for a consultations were received). 9,766
new office model, more open 10,000
to people. 8,079
8,000 6,796 7,081
Cases of assistance provided at Housing Offices 6,000
4,000
Increase of one 2,000
22% 0
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
1
The margins of every heading contain a section reference corresponding
to the initiatives provided for under the Barcelona Right to Housing Plan
for 2016-2025, presented in October 2016. The list of initiatives can be found
in the annexe and the executive summary is available in PDF format at:
http://habitatge.barcelona.
2
The Sarrià and Les Corts Offices share the same renovation and management experts.1.2 1.3
Providing advice for protecting Publicising rights and services
energy rights
Time scale: 2016-2017. Time scale: 2016-2018.
Real-time ongoing management Initiative A1.3 Real-time ongoing management Initiatives
Under the responsibility of: Barcelona City Under the responsibility of: Barcelona Hous- A1.3 and D2.1
Council - Social Rights ing Consortium
• Several initiatives were carried They also provide information Several information campaigns • Campaign entitled 'Quan re-
out in 2017 for raising aware- on the services the City Council have been launched for raising habilites l’habitatge, millores
ness of citizens’ energy rights offers, such as grants for en- awareness of the services and aid la teva vida' [Renovating your
and the services offered by the ergy-related renovations, en- on offer and housing-related citi- home improves your life] for
City Council: ergy-saving mechanisms and zen rights. explaining the importance of
advice on energy consumption. housing maintenance and ren-
20
1. Creation of a cross-cut- • Campaign entitled 'Perquè ovation for people’s well-being 21
ting energy-rights pro- 2. Incorporating information no et tallin la llum, l’aigua o and quality of life and for rais-
Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to tection service offering into the municipal housing el gas, posem tota l’energia' ing awareness of the calls for Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for
2016-2025 10 energy-advice points website on energy rights [We're putting all our energy renovation-grant applications. 2016-2025
(PAEs), in most cases and energy poverty which into preventing your electricity, The information provided on Housing
Housing
linked to Housing Offic- includes instructions on water and gas from being cut], Barcelona City Council’s Hous-
es. That way, the services’ how to act in the event of which provides information on ing Website has also been up-
advice and management power-supply cuts, mecha- citizens’ rights to basic utility dated.
were able to be unified. nisms for reducing expens- supplies and detecting suppli-
es and information on bills er companies’ failure to com-
PAEs provide and financial aid applica- ply with Catalan Act 24/2015.
Ten energy-advice points advice and in- tion procedures. The campaign includes spe-
have been created in the formation on cific materials for winter and
city. energy rights as 3. 106 energy-advice work- summer and is aimed at pro-
well as on how shops and talks held in viding information on energy
to avoid pow- each of the city's neigh- rights, energy-saving tools and
er-supply cuts and enable vul- bourhoods. associated aid.
nerable people to receive aid.1.4
The Social Housing Council
Under the responsibility of: Barcelona
Housing Consortium and the Barcelona
Social Housing Council (CHSB)
Title Renovation WG
Subject Information on and analysis of the Calls for Renovation Grant Applications for 2016
The Social Housing Council is made matter and 2017.
The Barcelona Social Housing Council is
the main tool for consultations and in- up of 9 work committees, three of
Meetings March 2017.
formation on the city’s housing policy. which were created in 2017:
More than sixty members take part in it,
with representatives from the General- Title Cooperative Housing Board WG
itat regional government of Catalonia
Subject
and the City Council, municipal political matter
Promoting cohousing under the assigned-use cooperative housing model in the city.
22 party groups, public bodies and enter- 23
prises relating to housing planning and Meetings June 2017.
Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to construction, sectoral municipal partic- Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for ipation councils, non-profit social enti- 2016-2025
2016-2025
ties, associations and entities providing Title Regulation Amendment and Participation WG
Housing
Housing social support for housing access, coop-
Subject Renovation of the operational regulation of the CHSB itself, complying with the new
erative-member entities, local-resident Citizen Participation Regulation of the City Council and the Council's own needs.
matter
movements, unions, social foundations,
universities, professional associations Meetings 3 meetings between March and April 2017.
and so on.
Title Energy poverty WG
Monitoring the policies that Barcelona City Council implements over energy
Subject poverty.
matter A subcommittee for the working group was established to find the best way
of applying the Royal Executive Decree on Social Good in the city and its
Title Coordination, prevention and protocol-review WG compatibility with Catalan Act 24/2015.
Subject Meetings
Reviewing action protocols in the event of evictions and designing UCER and SIPHO. 2 meetings between October and November 2017.
matter
Meetings Continuity through the districts’ eviction tables.
Title Sustainable industrial housing production WG
Title WG for putting vacant dwellings into the housing stock Diversifying affordable housing production mechanisms, based on analysing
Subject
matter international experiences of industrial production of accommodation.
Subject Strengthening the assignment programme, the agreement with the Third Sector
matter Round Table, the information campaign for citizens, the vacant-dwelling census Meetings October.
and the inspection of the protected-housing stock.
Continuity in the new Local-Resident Expulsion and Sustainable Industrial Housing
Meetings
Production Working Groups. Title Local-resident expulsion WG
Making a diagnosis, based on cases detected in the territory, of the number of
Title Employment WG Subject entire estates and the persons to whom and manner in which their ownership has
matter been transferred over the last few months; to enable their data to be published.
Subject Identifying the difficulties squatters have in registering as city residents so they Discussing, debating and working on the organisational changes required for
matter can access their associated rights and services. tackling this new problem (advice, renovation licences etc.)
Studying a possible legal defence for entire blocks.
Meetings Meetings October.
Continuity in SIPHO and the Emergencies Board.1.5
Promoting decent jobs
Under the responsibility of: Barcelona
Housing Consortium and Barcelona City Initiatives A1.3,
Council-Barcelona Activa. B1.1, C3.2 and
D3.2
Work was carried out throughout Forty-one people in vul- −− As for the census on vacant ence of the Rented Housing
2017 so that the housing policy nerable social situations dwellings. Bureau and the advantages
could enable the creation of de- were hired for a period of Forty people were hired for it offered them.
cent jobs in the city. This was the 8 months. In 68% of cases a period of 6 months (25 of
purpose behind the introduction these were women, with an them in 2017) carrying out
of job schemes for supporting the average age of 51, of whom • For the first time, social clauses
inspections of dwellings were included in housing-pol-
implementation of several pro- 75% were born in Spain and and land sites to confirm
24 jects. Social clauses were also in 40% these were people icy-related contracts. The in- 25
they were vacant. These clusion of companies, in the
introduced to enable job-place- who had been in a situation plans were activated un- Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to
ment companies to carry out ren- of long-term unemploy- invitation to tender, carrying Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for
der an agreement between 2016-2025
2016-2025
ovation work on dwelling interiors ment. out grant-related renovations
Barcelona Activa and the Housing
Housing funded by the Barcelona Housing in dwelling interiors enabled 4
These individuals worked Catalan Employment Ser-
Consortium. of the 10 successful tenderer
as domestic energy-effi- vice (SOC).
companies to offer job place-
ciency professionals, ran
• Job schemes linked to several awareness-raising work- −− As regards attracting pri- ments. The tendering process
economic and job-promotion shops and initiatives in the vate dwellings to the Rent- was divided into 10 lots to fa-
projects. territory, compiled reports ed Housing Bureau. cilitate access for SMEs.
−− Linked to energy rights and and managed dossiers.
the services offered by the A specific team was set
City Council. up which contacted all the
city’s property manage-
Snapshot of the energy-poverty job scheme ments and estate agents
to inform them of the exist-
41 people hired
MEN
Social clauses were
32 % incorporated into work
procurement, facilitating
access for job-placement
companies
WOMEN
68 %
51 years 75% born in 40% long-term
average age Spain unemployment1.6
Dissemination workshops
A network for working, sharing • Work was carried out on sev-
knowledge and exchanging ex- eral networks linked to cities
periences on housing was set up such as New York and Paris
during 2016 and 2017. So, besides to present experiences and
developing contacts with various create learning on the tools
professionals and specialists from used for enabling and protect-
around the world, work was car- ing access to housing and its
ried out to establish Barcelona as maintenance. Work was also
a meeting place for promoting dis- carried out on contacting pro-
cussions, debates and exchanges. fessionals from the City Coun-
cil and other places to create
• Two Workshops were held in an dynamic of exchange and
26 27
2017 in the framework of Big shared work.
Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to Events: Barcelona Building Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for
2016-2025
Construmat and the Interna- 2016-2025
tional Smart City Conference, Housing
Housing
where it received support from
Housing Europe.
Barcelona Building Construmat
International Smart City Conference2.
A UNIFIED ENTITY FOR A NEW
HOUSING POLICY
The development of the Barcelona Municipal Institute
Barcelona Right to Housing of Housing and Renovation
Plan for 2016-2025 required a (IMHAB).3 The new institute
new model for organising and integrates all housing-policy-
managing human and material related services to improve
resources. This was the goal the service to city residents.
behind the creation of the
Main achievements in the framework of the new Institute
What are IMHAB's responsibilities?
2017
28 29
• Constitution of the Barcelona • €184 million were received
Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to Municipal Institute of Housing from the European Investment Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for
2016-2025 The institute is responsible for new Housing Consortium’s services and Renovation (IMHAB) for Bank and the Council 2016-2025
housing promotions, managing and policies. There are currently implementing new housing of Europe Development Housing
Housing
existing promotions, renovation 234 people working in it. policies. Bank for funding IMHAB's
grants for the private rental new affordable housing
housing stock, managing the The new institute is the result • Sharp increase in the number
promotions.
demand for affordable housing, of a reorganisation of the of people registered with
attending to housing emergencies, Barcelona Municipal Housing the Barcelona Register of
purchasing dwellings, detecting Trust and the company Applicants for Social Housing.
vacant housing and rent payment Barcelona Gestió Urbanística
grants, among other things. It S.A. (Bagursa).
also includes, what is more, the
implementation of the Barcelona
Initiatives that help us to create a new organisational model
2016
• Start of the Plan for revising be aimed at young people and
and updating the public 10% to women and single-
rental-housing stock. parent families.
It has been established that
30% of affordable-rent and
building-lease dwellings will
Ca l’Isidret housing promotion
3
The new institution reorganised in 2017 went into service as IMHAB in January 2018.2.1 2.2
The public rental housing stock Social aid for public housing
payments4
Time scale: Real-time ongoing management Time scale: Adaptations and improvements
Under the responsibility of: Barcelona Initiative B3.1 for 2016-2017. Real-time ongoing Initiative A1.1
Municipal Institute of Housing and management
Renovation (IMHAB) Under the responsibility of: Barcelona City
Council - Social Rights
The Plan for revising and updating was used correctly in 96.3% of The Social Rented Housing Fund’s dwell- • Grants to the social rent-
the public rental-housing stock, cases. The other 3.7% of the flats ings are the ones for which resident ed housing fund went up by
household units receive a subsidy for 23.5%, practically reaching
which included 6,274 dwellings corresponded to situations that
paying their rent, so that the price that
and 246 promotions, continued to required subsequent interven- they pay relates to their family income €2 million and assisting 1,138
be implemented in 2017. The Plan tions relating to: failure to pay and not to the cost of the dwelling itself. household units. At the same
was implemented in five stages fees, squatting and recovering This financial aid comes in addition to the time, aid for payment arrears
and will be completed in 2019. keys to dwellings left vacant fol- aid that is implicit in dwellings from the for dwellings included in the
30 31
public housing stock, whose prices are same fund has also been es-
lowing the death of their owner.
below those of the free market, in line Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to The results showed that the mu- with the social-housing system. tablished; such debts had al- Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for
2016-2025 nicipal public rental housing stock ready been reduced in 2016, 2016-2025
thanks to greater support to Housing
Housing
household units preventing the
accumulation of debt.
Use of the public rental housing stock
Correct use
96.3 %
4
Barcelona currently offers 3 types of aid for housing payments, depending on the situation of the house-
hold unit and type of housing:
• Aid for public housing stock payments. Aid for public housing stock dwelling payments that is deliv-
ered directly to IMHAB, reducing rent prices for the corresponding household units.
• Accommodation aid for emergency situations (point 5.2). Aid for free-market housing payments
which is awarded by basic social services to household units in emergency situations.
• Aid for rental-housing payments for housing maintenance (point 6.12). Aid for free-market housing
payments from calls for applications for subsidies funded by Barcelona City Council, the Generalitat
regional government of Catalonia and the State.Social rented-housing fund grants and subsidies for rent and debt 2.3
Awarding public housing to the vari-
ous collective applicants
€ 2,000,000
Time scale: Real-time ongoing management
Under the responsibility of: Barcelona Hous-
Initiatives
€ 1,500,000 ing Consortium B3.2 and B3.3
€ 1,000,000
€ 500,000
As established under Act 18/2007 on the • The profile of people regis-
0
Right to Housing, the Barcelona Register tered with the Register of
of Applicants for Social Housing (RSH- Applicants for Social Hous-
POB) is the legal instrument for access-
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 ing has varied over the years,
ing official social housing or housing with
special services in Barcelona. All house- moving on from one of a young
Grants and subsidies hold units wishing to access such dwell- person requiring housing for
32
Debt aid ings will have to be registered with this their emancipation process, to 33
register. one of an adult unit, with less
Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to income. As for gender, the ap- Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for
2016-2025
plicant profile has remained 2016-2025
Social rented-housing fund grants and subsidies for rent and debt • The impetus to housing pol- stable, with a slightly higher Housing
Housing
icies and extending the ser- percentage for women (56.8%
vices offered has led to a in 2017); as for foreign nation-
Social rented-housing fund Social rented-housing fund debt significant increase in the ality, the ration has been rising
number of household units and now represents 20.34.5
2013 € 578,367.09 574 € 315,397.24 91 registered with the register of
applicants, reaching 36,577
2014 € 1,033,595.94 78.7 % 814 € 323,142.97 2.5 % 111
( 19.4%), after 6 years with
2015 € 1,321,790.12 27.9 % 799 € 306,790.35 5.1 % 112 the figure remaining fairly
stable between 28,000 and
2016 € 1,607,743.65 21.6 % 957 € 173,762.94 43.4 % 64 30,000 HUs.
2017 € 1,985,965.34 23.5 % 1,138 € 186,428.60 7.3 % 62
HU: household units
5
There has been a steady reduction in the proportion of young applicants, which is now at 31.64 %, com-
pared to 55.21% of the people registered in 2009. At the same time, there has been a gradual increase
in the number of households with less income, so that by the end of 2017 the units with annual incomes
below €24,850.47 represented 89.4% of registered households. On the other hand, the number of sin-
gle-person households, representing 64.87% in 2009, dropped, so that it did not even reach 50% by the
end of 2017.Household Units registered with the Register of Applicants for Social Housing • Among the criteria that it ing dwellings. This enables the
has introduced for awarding availability of resources of or-
affordable-rent and build- igin for more vulnerable units.
40,000
ing-lease dwellings, the RSH-
POB states that 30% will go • 2017 saw 811 leases signed
35,000 to people under the age of 35 for the affordable housing
and 10% to single mothers and stock, of which 527 correspond
30,000 single-parent families, as es- to leases signed by IMHAB
tablished under the Barcelona for properties on municipal
25,000 Right to Housing Plan for 2016- land, 211 to private dwellings
2025. brought over to the public rent-
20,000 al market through the Rent-
• The criteria for awarding have ed Housing Bureau and under
15,000
been adapted so that house- the municipal use-assignment
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 hold units coming from an- programme and the remaining
other house resource, such as 13 to dwellings promoted on
34
inclusion housing, have prior- non-municipal land. 35
ity in accessing social-hous- Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to Household units Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for 2016-2025
2016-2025
2009 19,049 Housing
Housing
2010 25,496 33.8 %
2011 30,572 19.9 %
Leases for the affordable housing stock signed in 2017
2012 27,813 9.0 %
2013
2014
28,584
29,725
2.8 %
4.0 %
881 527 Signed by IMHAB.
211 Private dwellings brought over to the
public rental market through the Rented
13 Housing Bureau and under the munici-
pal use-assignment programme.
2015 28,238 5.0 % Dwellings promoted on non-municipal
land.
2016 30,637 8.5 %
2017 36,577 19.4 %2.4
New funding for public housing
Time scale: 2016-2025
Under the responsibility of: Barcelona Hous-
ing Consortium
The good financial situation of IM- 2,198 public-rent dwellings
HAB and Barcelona City Council, that will be allocated to elderly
together with the interest raised people and families with dif-
from the municipal project for ficulties accessing housing.
promoting affordable housing, en- The agreement has the sup-
abled the necessary funding for port of the European Fund for
36
realising the ambitious promotion Strategic Investments (EFSI). 37
plan launched.
Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to • The Council of Europe Devel- Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for
2016-2025 • €125 million of credit was opment Bank (CEB) has agreed 2016-2025
Housing
signed with the European In- to fund the building of social Housing
vestment Bank (EIB) for fund- rental-housing dwellings in the
ing 50% of the building of city with €59 million. The credit
transaction will cover a total of
23% of the cost of the projects
for 26 flat promotions, involv-
The agreement with the ing 2,322 brand-new dwellings
EIB and the CEB represents provided for under the Right to
credit for funding 50% Housing Plan for 2016-2025.
Housing promotion in Bon Pastor
and 25% respectively of
the public rental-housing
dwellings to be built and
allocated to elderly people
and vulnerable families3.
GAINING KNOWLEDGE FOR PLANNING
AND ACTING
Knowledge of the current provide the city with new tools
environment and situation is for helping it to find out about
key to establishing mechanisms the situation over the private
for improving housing policies. housing stock, public housing
Gaining knowledge enables us to stock and demand for housing,
plan and evaluate results. Hence among other things.
the large effort been made to
What proposals help us to find out
about the situation?
38
The Metropolitan Housing Observatory’s website portal 39
Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for 2016-2025
2016-2025
2016 Housing
Housing
• Creation of the Barcelona • Study for detecting areas
Metropolitan Housing of vulnerability (basis for
Observatory (OHB) the Neighbourhood Plan
and a new renovation policy
focusing on neighbourhoods
and vulnerable groups).
2016-2017 Study for detecting areas of vulnerability
• Census on vacant dwellings • Deployment of the OHB:
and land sites in 17
neighbourhoods. First annual report.
• Census on inclusion dwellings Activation of the data
in the city. display.
First laboratories for
creating their own
information on rents and
gentrification.
Dwellings for the elderly, Torre Júlia3.1
The Barcelona Metropolitan
Housing Observatory
Time scale: 2016-2020 implementation.
Real-time ongoing management Initiatives B2.1
Under the responsibility of: Barcelona and B2.4
Metropolitan Housing Observatory
2017 was the year that the Bar- lin, comparing the methods al-housing offers and • Planned laboratories and col-
celona Metropolitan Housing Ob- designed in those cities for registered leases. laborations
servatory (OHB) was consolidated, creating an indicator that • A study on the most −− Structure and concentra-
having already launched its most would enable them calcu- common demand for tion of housing property in
important services for which it late average prices among housing by type and av- Barcelona.
had been created and which would comparable dwellings and erage price.
help to provide greater transpar- the applications that re- • An identification of rent −− Housing-purchase trans-
ency to housing-related data and sulted from them. managers and their in- actions through the prop-
40
bring together all the available in- fluence on the current erty register. 41
Barcelona Right to
Barcelona Right to formation. −− Benchmark rental price in- market. −− From vacant housing to so- Housing Plan for
Housing Plan for
2016-2025
dex in the Barcelona Met- cial housing. 2016-2025
• Indicators on housing ropolitan Area. • Collaboration in studies Housing
Housing −− Ageing and habitability in
The OHB has created a system This study would enable
the Barcelona metropolis.
of indicators on the main is- the periodic updating of −− Gentrification.
sues of housing. 2017 saw the the index and the imple- A study on gentrification −− Huge efforts in housing.
publication of the first annu- mentation of its necessary was begun, in conjunction −− Social housing in Barcelo-
al report on housing: Housing improvements. It would with Barcelona City Coun- na.
in the Barcelona metropolis, also enable supplementary cil’s Co-Responsibility
system of indicators, which information to be given on Space on Gentrification, to −− Covering housing needs in
includes statistical content the rental-housing stock in establish the methodolog- the Barcelona Metropolitan
for the purposes of detect- Barcelona and the Metro- ical criteria that would en- Area.
ing issues of greater interest politan Area and tools to be able the drafting of a gen- −− Housing figures.
for evaluating and designing provided to public authori- trification index that could
−− Support for drafting the
housing policies, and an online ties for acting in the face of become a predictive data
'Municipal Action Housing
data display has been activat- price rises. model.
Programmes' (PAMH).
ed.
−− Offer and demand for rent- −− Innovation in construction −− Management models for
• Information laboratories al housing in Barcelona. A study was started on in- the social housing stock.
The OHB also began preparing The study enabled: novation in construction
specific studies to respond to tackling the following ba-
the main questions that arose • An analysis of the various sic issues: social-housing
The Metropolitan
from the process for designing existing types of rent ac- promotions of dwellings
Housing Observatory
housing policies. These stud- cording to use and tem- made with prefabricated
prepares its first Report
ies were centred on the prepa- porality. systems and companies
on Housing in the
ration of new indicators. The • The recording of regis- from the sector specialis-
Barcelona Metropolis
following studies were started tered and de-registered ing in Spanish territory, and
in 2017: rental-housing offers. the description of current
−− Comparative study on • A determination of the building systems and their
rent-regulation measures reasons for the various cost/time evaluation for
in Europe. This focused on differences existing be- implementation in Catalo-
the cases of Paris and Ber- tween prices from rent- nia.You can also read
