The winds of agreement to expand the minority government of socialist mayor Jaume Collboni blew strongly this Friday in the plenary session of Barcelona City Council. And the possibility of ERC and BComú being the ones to seal the agreement and not Junts, which in recent days has gained a lot, seems closer based on what was approved in the session. The always controversial housing policy, which must respond to one of the most serious problems suffered by Barcelona residents, had a special role and was materialized with proposals from the Commons and Republicans that came forward after a transaction of its content with the PSC. Just a few weeks ago such a solid understanding of left-wing groups on this matter would have been very difficult.
Despite this climate, the variable geometry that Collboni likes so much still pays off. The final approval of the terrace tax, agreed in November with Junts based on an agreement with the Gremi de Restauració, was a good example. Commoners and Republicans voted against. But this political alignment could now be a mirage because it is from a time in the past. Ramon Tremosa, economic spokesperson for Xavier Trias’s group, implied this by alerting the mayor of how difficult it will be for him to justify this agreement with those who could be “his future partners.”
Ada Colau presented BComú’s proposal on rents. And he did so in a much calmer tone than in other interventions in which he was harsh with Collboni, especially in the December plenary session in which he criticized the “paralysis” of the government, which was then very close to Junts. Now things seem different. The previous agreement on the text voted this Friday with the PSC had to do with the change.
The approved proposal advocates deploying an information campaign so that tenants know their rights following the application of the state Housing law; expand the inspection discipline unit dedicated to monitoring the implementation and sanction of the new regulation; strengthen the legal team of each housing office – the former mayor resigned from creating a specific one – and support the Government to modify the Urban Leases law so that seasonal rentals are limited. ERC voted in favor but it disgraced the commons that they did not do more, especially in this last aspect, when they governed the Casa Grande.
“We don’t like this Housing law,” recalled Damià Calvet, from Junts. In his opinion, “it will be increasingly difficult to rent in Barcelona due to the reduction in supply.” Furthermore, he lamented, its tortuous application – it was approved last May and the rental price index is not expected to be available until next month – “has generated legal uncertainty.” The Trias group hopes that the Collboni government will reform the 30% reservation of new developments and rehabilitations at an affordable price offer, a measure in which the PSC is closer to the ex-convergents than to BComú.
“In an issue as central as this, it is clear that there are two city models, the right is against market regulation and there is a progressive majority that totals 24 councilors,” Colau stressed, intensifying his pressure on Collboni to make a decision. for forming a left-wing tripartite. Previously, after thanking the commons for agreeing on the text of the proposal, Deputy Mayor Laia Bonet had reiterated the socialist government’s commitment to the new law. “We want it to unfold to its full potential,” she said.
ERC also agreed on a proposal on housing with the PSC that received the support of BComú. In this case, about real estate harassment and that includes an inspection and monitoring plan for the properties sold in the last five years to guarantee that their neighbors of those properties do not suffer this practice. The human and financial resources of the housing offices will also be increased so that they can assign teams in the districts to improve mediation between owners and tenants and guarantee that they remain in their homes.
The president of the republican group, Elisenda Alamany, advocated for combating real estate harassment and was convinced that “Barcelona does not have to choose between being a successful city and having to protect its neighbors.” Junts once again marked the distance with the left block in this matter. Calvet said that the measure, despite being “full of good intentions” is “diffuse.” And the result was repeated. Trias per Barcelona voted against, as did PP and Vox. The socialist Bonet, as she had done before with Colau, thanked ERC for having agreed on the text. Instead of exhaustive monitoring of these cases, as initially proposed, it will be done ex officio, prioritizing those that have open judicial processes.
