In Castellnou de Seana, in Lleida, 21 people have applied for two social housing flats priced at €250 a month, according to mayor Andreu Balagué. The flats are part of a wider effort to help small municipalities respond to depopulation.
Balagué said the homes are in the village centre and that the allocation process will be handled by the social services of the Pla comarcal council, following the usual rules, rather than by the local council itself.
The mayor said administrative support is needed so that small villages can offer residents opportunities similar to those in larger towns. For more local coverage across Catalonia, see our news page.
The housing case comes as the Diputació de Lleida works to rehabilitate nearly 100 rural homes across the province through a new round of its Demographic Challenge housing grants. The latest programme is expected to restore around 50 homes, adding to 44 homes in 33 municipalities renovated under the previous scheme.
Agustí Jiménez, vice-president of the Diputació and head of the Demographic Challenge area, said the aim is to give local councils tools to keep residents and support economic activity. The strategy is being carried out with the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Miteco. Paco Boya, Miteco's secretary general, said the government remains committed to territorial cohesion policies and announced that the next national call for proposals will offer more than €80 million for municipalities and provincial councils.
During a recent visit to Castellnou de Seana, officials also inspected the village's new civic centre, which is housed in the former doctor's residence. The space now hosts memory workshops, yoga classes and activities for different age groups. Balagué said the centre provides distraction and care, especially for older residents, and helps to bring more life to the village.
Beyond housing, the Diputació has launched the Sederural project, funded with €500,000 from Miteco. Its three parts are Ruralforma-T, which raises awareness among students in rural schools, Empodera-T, which provides training for rural women, and Serveis en Ruta, which aims to bring basic services closer to small municipalities through a needs assessment and a mobile application.
