Barcelona will host the first edition of the Housing World Summit (HOWS Barcelona) from 3 to 5 November 2026 in Hall 3 of Fira Gran Via, alongside the Smart City Expo World Congress. Barcelona City Council is promoting the summit, while Fira de Barcelona is organising it as an international meeting point for policymakers and practitioners working on housing. Its programme examines supply and affordability, with sessions also covering regulation, social housing, construction new idea and the rehabilitation of existing homes.
The published programme features 20 sessions over three days and more than 100 speakers from public administrations, cities, developers, social organisations, universities and institutions. It is organised around five policy areas: urbanism and land policy; housing regulation; social and affordable housing; construction new idea; and rehabilitation, renovation and reuse. The agenda ranges from planning and public supply to market rules, while also addressing how to make better use of existing housing stock.
The Fòrum d’Habitatge i Rehabilitació de Barcelona (FHAR), previously held separately, will become part of the HOWS programme. The event says it will focus on expanding public housing supply, rehabilitating public and private homes, and regulating the residential market. A Housing Mayors’ Roundtable, chaired by Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni, will address the right to remain in cities and international responses to the housing crisis. Urban policy specialist Rogier van den Berg is scheduled to join a session on 4 November titled “Can Densification Deliver Without Displacing?”, which will examine how to add housing capacity without pushing existing residents out.
The affordability pressures behind the summit show up in several housing indicators. Tinsa reported that housing costs in Barcelona province accounted for 45.2% of household disposable income, above its 45% threshold for critical affordability and Spain’s reported national figure of 36.9%. Its analysis also found that the effort required to meet housing costs in the Madrid and Barcelona metropolitan areas exceeded 50% of disposable income.
Rental-market figures show continued pressure in the city. Data from Catalonia’s INCASÒL, cited in a Barcelona housing analysis, put average monthly rent at €1,137.35 in the first quarter of 2026, up 4.6% from €1,087.23 a year earlier. Citing Barcelona City Council’s housing-conjuncture study, the same analysis reported that average rent reached €16.89 per square metre, a 4.32% annual increase. Average dwelling size fell from 75 square metres in 2024 to 71.1 square metres in 2026. Spain’s National Statistics Institute reported that Madrid and Barcelona accounted for 94 of the 100 urban neighbourhoods with the highest average monthly spending on habitual-rental housing in its 2026 Urban Indicators release.
The congress has backing from a broad coalition of public and institutional partners, including the Government of Catalonia, Spain’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, the European Union, the Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona, the European Investment Bank, C40 Cities, UN-Habitat and Metropolis. Organisers say the gathering will bring together governments, cities, developers, third-sector organisations, academia and institutions. The mix links local housing policy with metropolitan governance, international city networks and potential financing partners.
Large-scale projects have reshaped Barcelona’s infrastructure and housing field in recent years. The ongoing redevelopment of the Montjuïc fairgrounds includes new protected homes and modern venues, reflecting the city’s broader effort to balance growth with social needs. More details on these urban renewal efforts are available in coverage of the Montjuïc fairgrounds overhaul and new housing initiatives.
The Smart City Expo World Congress, running alongside the housing summit, is recognised as a major international event for urban new idea. Its previous edition drew nearly 27,000 attendees, with representatives from 997 cities and 138 countries. Holding HOWS Barcelona alongside the expo puts housing policy within a broader programme on urban development and innovation.
Spain continues to face housing challenges. Rising demand, limited supply and affordability pressures have made housing a central issue for residents and policymakers. HOWS Barcelona brings public policy, regulation, new idea and rehabilitation into a single forum, where local and international participants are set to discuss approaches relevant to cities across Spain and beyond.
