The Generalitat, Catalonia's regional government, and Comuns have presented a bill in Mollet del Vallès aimed at creating between 15,000 and 20,000 protected homes over the next four years by converting existing buildings and using already developed land.

The proposal would apply in areas declared to have a pressured housing market, including 271 municipalities where 90% of Catalonia's population lives. For residents in those municipalities, the measure could allow protected homes to be created in buildings currently used for offices, hotels, commercial premises and private multi-storey car parks.

According to RTVE Catalunya, the Generalitat and Comuns intend to submit the bill to the Parliament of Catalonia through the urgent procedure. The measures are intended to be temporary and exceptional.

Conversions without prior planning changes

The bill would allow offices, hotel buildings and private multi-storey car parks to be converted into protected housing without first changing local urban planning rules. In hotels and car parks, at least 50% of the building's constructed floor area would have to become protected housing.

The proposal also includes protected homes in ground-floor commercial premises, provided they are at least 50 square metres and meet habitability requirements, according to La Vanguardia.

  • Office, hotel and private multi-storey car-park space could be converted to protected housing.
  • Ground-floor commercial premises of at least 50 square metres could be used where they meet habitability standards.
  • Residential building capacity could increase by up to 20% in specified cases, including above the usual height limit.

Homes would retain permanent protected status

All homes created under the legislation would have permanent protected-housing status and could not later be released onto the unrestricted residential market or used for another type of residential tenure.

The law would run for a maximum of four years, although the Generalitat could extend it by agreement. It would also cover areas identified in Catalonia's sectoral housing plan as having strong and evidenced residential demand.

“We are telling the private sector that it cannot wash its hands of the severe housing crisis in our country. We all have to row together.”Jéssica Albiach, Comuns leader in the Parliament of Catalonia

The proposal forms part of the agreement between the Generalitat led by Salvador Illa and Comuns for Catalonia's 2026 budget, La Vanguardia reported.

Reported by Marc Guasch Ferreiro, Maite Gutiérrez, europapress.es, Xavier Alegret, diariosigloxxi.com, beteve.cat, elmundo.es, elDiario.es Catalunya, Yolanda Canales, Sara González, Laura Casserres Capdevila, ACN, somMollet.