What is happening with tourist apartments in the Barcelona metropolitan area?
Several municipalities in the Barcelona metropolitan area are preparing not to renew licenses for tourist apartments when they expire in 2028. The goal is to prioritize housing for residents and reduce pressure on the housing market.
Which city started this policy?
Barcelona was the first to announce that it will not renew its more than 10,000 tourist apartment licenses. Instead of canceling them immediately, the city will allow them to expire naturally by 2028.
Which municipalities are following this decision?
Neighboring cities such as L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Sant Adrià de Besòs, Esplugues, Cornellà, and Sant Feliu de Llobregat have decided to take similar measures. Their plan is to let existing licenses expire and not issue new ones.
What legal framework supports this decision?
The measure is based on a decree from the Government of Catalonia that tightens the regulation of tourist apartments. The decree requires urban planning licenses, limits their duration, and allows each municipality to decide whether to keep them after 2028.
Why do municipalities want to eliminate tourist apartments?
Local authorities say their priority is protecting residential housing. They argue that the growth of short-term tourist rentals has contributed to rising housing prices and made it harder for residents to find affordable homes.
Has Barcelona imposed restrictions before?
Yes. Over the past decade, Barcelona has implemented several restrictions, including a moratorium on new licenses and a specific urban plan regulating tourist accommodations. The difference now is the intention to eventually eliminate the remaining supply.
How many tourist apartments exist in some municipalities?
- L’Hospitalet de Llobregat: just over 500 units
- Sant Adrià de Besòs: around 280
- Cornellà: close to 100
- Esplugues: a much smaller number
Are all nearby municipalities planning to eliminate them?
No. Some municipalities, such as El Prat de Llobregat and Sant Cugat del Vallès, believe the number of tourist apartments in their areas is still relatively small. They prefer to keep the existing licenses under strict control rather than eliminate them entirely.
Is there legal backing for these policies?
Yes. Spain’s Constitutional Court has supported the Catalan decree regulating tourist apartments, strengthening the legal basis for municipalities that want to restrict or eliminate them.
What other measures is Barcelona taking?
Barcelona is also supporting homeowner associations that want to prohibit tourist apartments in their buildings, reinforcing residential use.
The decision by several municipalities in the Barcelona metropolitan area not to renew tourist apartment licenses by 2028 represents a major shift in urban housing policy. Authorities aim to return housing to the residential market and ease price pressures. However, the policy also raises debates about the balance between housing rights, tourism, and the interests of property owners who invested in tourist rentals.
Source: El Debate - “La prohibición de los pisos turísticos impulsada por Barcelona se extiende por toda el área metropolitana”
