New Housing Measures Unveiled
At the plenary session of the Catalan Parliament on 29 September 2026, President Salvador Illa announced three new housing initiatives aimed at tackling affordability and eviction risks. These include a Housing Emergency Fund with an initial €25 million to purchase properties from vulnerable residents facing eviction, ensuring they can remain in their homes under social rent terms. The second measure, joint housing purchase, allocates €100 million to allow the Generalitat to co-own properties with individuals over 40 who have stable incomes but struggle to access mortgages. This civil law mechanism enables buyers to enter the market at reduced prices. The third initiative expands Emancipation Loans to help young people cover down payments and achieve financial independence.
These measures are part of our commitment to shared prosperity and cohesion across all Catalonias.
Parliament Rejects Key Housing Resolution
Despite government backing, the resolution to approve these housing plans was rejected in Parliament after Comuns abstained. Party sources said the move served as a warning to the executive, stressing the need to uphold prior investiture agreements and deliver on existing promises before launching new ones. Still, the Generalitat maintains it will proceed with the measures regardless of parliamentary validation.
Plan 20,000: 20,000 New Care Home Places by 2030
On 30 September 2026, Illa launched Plan 20,000, aiming to create 20,000 new residential places for elderly and disabled people by 2030 through an €878 million investment. Of these, 15,500 places will be for older adults and 4,500 for people with disabilities. The plan involves building 15 new public residences, with the first three set for La Seu d'Urgell, Reus, and Santa Coloma de Gramenet, each expected to be operational by 2030. Most capacity will come from contracting existing private facilities, targeting one-third of the current private supply. Currently, over 18,000 people are on waiting lists for public care home placements, including more than 15,000 elderly and over 3,000 with disabilities.
Educational Investment and Classroom Air Conditioning Pledges
Illa also proposed a cross-party national pact on education, pledging to raise public spending to 6% of GDP, up from the current 4%, though he did not specify a timeline or funding pathway. The idea of forming a working group with all parliamentary groups drew criticism from ERC and Comuns, who argue the goal lacks credibility without a clear roadmap. Additionally, Illa reaffirmed his commitment to install air conditioning in all classrooms across Catalonia’s educational centres by 2031. Critics, including Comuns, note the plan relies partly on municipal funding and lacks coordination with local councils, urging faster implementation.
Security Policy Amid Rising Violent Crime
While citing reductions in theft and burglary rates, Illa acknowledged increases in serious crimes such as homicides, assaults, and sexual offences. Data from the Ministry of the Interior show a 45% rise in incidents involving firearm use during the first half of 2026. In response, the government plans legal reforms to toughen penalties for weapon possession and treat the display of weapons as an aggravating factor in sentencing, a proposal still pending legislative action.
Primary sources: Generalitat de Catalunya. Reported by en.ara.cat, Marta Puig i Vidal, diaricatalunya.cat, lavanguardia.com, Diari ARA.
