Gonzalo Bernardos Accuses Spanish Authorities of Failing Affordable Housing Policy. Spain’s population has grown by 10 million over the past 30 years, yet fewer new apartments are being built. Economist Gonzalo Bernardos analyzes why public housing has become nearly unattainable and how outdated regulations are preventing young families from accessing homes.
Economist Gonzalo Bernardos delivered a sharp critique of the Spanish authorities, stating that promises of affordable housing do not match reality. According to him, despite population growth, the pace of new apartment construction in the country has significantly slowed, while the share of government-supported housing remains minimal.
Speaking on laSexta Xplica, Bernardos offered a comparison: in 1991, when Spain's population was 39 million, construction of 205,000 apartments was started. In 2025, with the population at 49 million, this figure dropped to 133,000. Of those, only about 12,000 are housing with elements of social protection. The economist stressed: “Nos toman el pelo y nos lo toman mucho” — adding that the gap between official statements and actual actions is becoming ever more obvious.
Housing shortage and outdated regulations
Bernardos pointed out that authorities at all levels publicly endorse the idea of affordable housing, but in practice, the share of such apartments remains negligible. He noted that construction requirements often do not match modern realities: for example, in some regions, the law sets a minimum apartment size of 80 square meters. According to the expert, this does not reflect the structure of modern families, where the average household size is less than 2.5 people.
The economist believes that such regulations make it impossible to carry out large-scale construction of smaller, more affordable apartments, which are especially in demand among young people and those just starting to live independently. “Why not allow a young person to buy or rent their first apartment with an area of 40 square meters?” he asks, emphasizing that most decisions are made by people over 60, who are far removed from the real needs of the young.
Real consequences for families
The housing situation directly affects the opportunities of young people and families. High prices, limited supply, and the lack of flexible formats make independent living virtually unattainable for many. According to Bernardos, the gap between supply and demand is only growing, and government programs are unable to fundamentally change the situation.
In this context, it is telling that even in other countries, ways are being sought to reduce construction costs — for example, American researchers have proposed using limestone-free cement to cut emissions and make construction cheaper, as noted in the article on new technologies in construction.
What might change
Bernardos insists: unless approaches to urban development policy are revised and the opportunity to build compact apartments is provided, the housing affordability problem will only worsen. For many families and young people, this means the dream of owning their own home will remain unattainable, while the market will continue to operate in the interests of large developers and investors.
As a result, according to the expert, Spain now faces a situation where the population is growing, but affordable housing is becoming increasingly scarce. Solving the problem requires not only new programs, but also a review of outdated regulations that have long failed to reflect real life.
