The Barcelona City Council has approved the purchase of a residential building at de la Diputació, 161, in the Eixample district. The building has 14 apartments, 13 of which are currently vacant, and one is rented under an old lease agreement. All available apartments will be provided to residents on the waiting list for protected housing (VPO) in the Catalan capital. The total transaction amounted to €6.1 million: €4.6 million for the property itself, and another €1.5 million for its refurbishment.
The decision was announced by the fourth deputy mayor and head of housing, Jordi Valls, during a municipal council meeting. The move was prompted by a dispute over the allocation of state funds between regions and cities: the Socialists proposed urging the government of Spain and the Generalitat to provide dedicated funds to municipalities prioritizing the purchase of real estate through the right of first refusal and withdrawal (known as “tanteo y retracto”). As a result, the council approved the initiative by a margin of one vote, thanks to the mayor’s tie-breaking vote. The Junts group abstained, while the remaining council members were evenly split.
As part of the adopted decision, Barcelona intends to use future government funds to expand the city’s housing stock by purchasing entire buildings, as well as to consider cooperation with social housing providers. According to Jordi Valls, the policy of ‘tanteo and retracto’ has become a strategic tool for the city: it allows for an increase in available housing in areas with limited supply, such as Eixample, Gràcia, and Ciutat Vella. Valls emphasized that effective action against gentrification and speculation requires more resources not only at the city level, but also at the regional and European levels.
The issue of the division of powers and funding between different levels of government in Catalonia remains contentious. Similar disputes have arisen in other areas, for example, during the discussion around summoning former regional head Jordi Pujol to Madrid for a medical examination — this case was analyzed in detail in the material on judicial disputes between Barcelona and the central authorities.
