This Thursday was an important day in the Parliament of Catalonia. At a time of significant housing crisis, the Parliament approved a new law to regulate seasonal and room rentals. These forms of rental have become widespread in large cities and have led to price increases, as many landlords used them to circumvent the price limits imposed by the national housing law.
With this decision, Catalonia is once again a pioneer in housing regulation. The new law was promoted by social organizations and associations that defend the right to housing. The law, called the Law on Measures Regarding Housing and Urban Planning, amends several Catalan regulations on urban planning and housing.
The law was approved after a lengthy vote with numerous amendments. It received support from the PSC, ERC, Comuns, and CUP parties. The Junts party supported most of the law, but not the regulation of seasonal rentals. For its part, the People's Party (PP) has announced it will file an appeal with the Constitutional Court, arguing that Catalonia lacks jurisdiction in this matter and that the law constitutes a "disguised expropriation of private property." Vox and Aliança Catalana voted against it.
The new regulations stipulate that seasonal and room rentals must adhere to the price limits set by the official index. Furthermore, the law extends the protection afforded to subsidized housing (VPO) in municipalities with a tight housing market. This measure aims to prevent many subsidized apartments from losing their social housing status. In Barcelona alone, some 40,000 homes could lose their VPO status before 2030 if these measures are not implemented.
Finally, the law allows municipalities to prioritize residential use in their urban planning regulations, with the goal of ensuring more housing for living and not just for investment.
