Three facts. First. Barcelona is the capital of the State with the most expensive housing rental (1,171 euros). Let us remember that the minimum wage is 1,134 euros per month, 37 euros less than the rent. Second fact. A new apartment costs on average 626,708 euros in Barcelona, ??for 79.7 useful square meters. This prohibitive figure for most mortals is explained by the limited supply of apartments in the Catalan capital. Third fact. In 2023, 3,813 apartments will be built in Barcelona, ??half (48.7%) than the previous year. Although there is a great demand for housing, promotions are not promoted due to an erroneous political decision: the rule that forces builders to give 30% of new apartments to social housing.
The previous municipal government of Barcelona approved this regulation thinking that it would increase the housing stock exponentially. But, like many other things, it was decreed without taking into account the opinion of the builders, who are the ones who create 66% of the new housing. In other words, the private sector builds twice as many apartments as the public administration. However, order and command was applied without listening to the experts who announced a slowdown in the supply of housing and, consequently, an increase in both the purchase price and the rental price. And this is exactly what has happened to the indignation of the thousands of young people and families who dream of becoming emancipated one day.
Who is it up to to fix this nonsense? Naturally, from the person who perpetrated it: the City Council. Since last June there has been a new mayor, the socialist Jaume Collboni, who promised to reform this objectively failed norm and who, by the way, everyone voted in favor, except PP and Cs. To correct the shooting, it has a large political majority to do so because all parties, except the former mayor’s group, are committed to fixing this mess. But eight months of the legislature have already passed and the blocking rule is still in force because its reform has sneaked into the negotiation to expand the minority government of the PSC.
We still do not know what the pact will be, although we can rule out an agreement between the socialists and Junts, while a reissue of the coalition with the commons like that of the last mandate is difficult after the former mayor has said that she is staying in the Consistory. The socialists drag their feet before a pact with the commons, but they reject it if they have to coexist with Colau’s leadership that would try to overshadow the current mayor.
So the PSC’s way is to continue with a minority government adding ERC, if the Republicans finally achieve an internal consensus. PSC and ERC have only 15 councilors and that would force them to seek external agreements. Who knows if with Junts or BComú as preferred partners from outside for depending on what topics. Meanwhile, the problems persist and worsen. So, with or without an agreement, begin to resolve urgent issues for citizens such as housing.