Presentation of the Barcelona city housing policy at Eurocities workshop on affordable housing.

1. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
1
EUROCITIES Affordable Housing workshop, 26th April 2016
The local public action
in terms of housing in
Barcelona
Javier Burón
Manager of Housing
Barcelona Council City

2. 2
Settlements 500
Homeless 1.000
Applications for VPO – Subsidized & Public Rental Housing
53.889 (28,238 family units)
18.838 (severe eco vulnerability)
Tenancies 280.000 (30% stock)
Principal residences 684.000
DESCRIPTION OF THE DEMAND
CITY 1.6 million / MET 3 million / GDP 68 billion / 11% U / INEQUALITY 1 to 7

3. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
ENROLLED IN THE REGISTER OF APPLICANTS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING
3
28,238 dwelling units registered on 31st December 2015, which represent 53,889
people (ratio of members per dwelling unit: 1.90)

4. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
PROFILE OF ENROLLED IN THE REGISTER OF APPLICANTS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING
4

5. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
PROBLEM Nº 1: FORCE EVICTIONS CRISIS
5
• According to figures provided by the Juez Decano de Barcelona
(Dean Judge of Barcelona) 2,400 evictions are produced each
year, 80% of which due to non-payment of the rent.
• A good indicator of the evolution since 2009 are the cases
processed by the Barcelona Local Housing Emergencies
Committee.
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Adjudicated housing
for social
emergencies
75 140 138 177 213 198 (1)
319 (2)
1,260

6. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
PROBLEM Nº 2: INCREASING PRICES OF RENTAL: 15% IN 2015
6

7. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
PROBLEM Nº 3: EMPTY HOMES
7
According to a study carried out in April 2015, in Barcelona there are
31,200 empty flats.
Of which around 2,592 are the property of financial entities (according
the Register created by the Generalitat in the development of the
Decree Law 1/2015).
Other surveys estimate up to 80.000.
It won’t be the “magical solution”, but compare with the big numbers
(10.000 public rentals – 10.000 subsidized rentals – 20.000 still
qualified vpo), it should be taken into account.

8. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
TOOLS 1: STOCK OF PUBLIC HOUSING FOR RENTAL OF BARCELONA
8
• The total represents a little more than 2% of the total stock, compared with 15% for
similar cities to ours.
• It doesn’t include the stock of VPO (“Vivienda de Protección Oficial” public fixed prices
and appointed buyers), about which there is no control. Close to 20.000 in the last 25
years.
Protected Rental Housing
Private Housing
Total social rentals
(subsidised)Transfer
Programme
Agreements
with EEFF
Special contingents 1,467 12
2,636
Social emergency 1,029 118 10
Rest of protected rentals 8,026
Stock of protected rentals 10,522

9. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
TOOLS 1: EVOLUTION OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING STOCK FOR
RENTAL IN THE CITY OF BARCELONA
9
Evolution of the stock 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
increase
2010-2015
Total VPO -Official Protected Housing Rentals 10,104 10,201 10,234 10,311 10,426 10,522 4%
Rest of VPO -Official Protected Housing Rentals 8,964 8,641 8,434 8,257 8,126 8,026
Allocated for social rentals, from stock of protected
rentals
1,140 1,560 1,800 2,054 2,300 2,496 119%
Programme for transfer of empty flats (Habitat 3) 118
Agreements with EEFF 22
Total housing of social rental 1,140 1,560 1,800 2,054 2,300 2,636 131%
Annual increase of social
rental
37% 15% 14% 12% 15%
Total protected rentals + social rentals (VPO + letting of empty
flats + Financial statement agreements)
10,104 10,201 10,234 10,311 10,426 10,662
Supply of Rental Housing private flats, let or rented at affordable prices
(30% below market price)
1,266 1,081 1,064 764 751 662
Right of surface (75 years) 556 688 848 958 938(1)
(1)
2014 & 2015: The City Council acquired 61 leasehold dwellings at Casernes de Sant Andreu, to allocate them to protected/social rentals

10. TOOLS 2: PUBLIC RENTAL SUBSIDIES 2008 - 2015
10
Programmes of grants 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Fair Rental 4,199 5,232 5,645 4,315 3,670 2,993 2,535 2,350 (1)
30,939
Basic Emancipation Income(in force) 9,551 12,017 15,424 17,506 5,579 3,148 1,491 854 65,570
Economic provisions of sepcial urgency 341 343 610 951 485 488 868 600 (2)
4,686
Subsidy for the payment of rents 1,879 (3)
1,879
Municipal grants, rental payment 2,388 (4)
2,388
Down payment and first month’s rent 124 70 79 20 4 5 19 4 325
Rental aid for housing for the elderly 609 905 923 925 1,200 1,210 1,210 1,210 8,192
Total 14,824 18,567 22,681 23,717 10,938 7,844 6,123 9,285 113,979
(1) The 2,350 cases approved correspond to the ones processed by the Consortium. Figures lacking of the definitive closure of the call by the AHC
(2) The 600 cases approved in 2015, include those presented in previous years. 784 cases still to be resolved.
(3) The 1,879 cased approved correspond to the ones processed by the Consortium. There still remain cases to be resolved and figures are lacking regarding the definitive closure by the AHC.
(4) 690 cases in the process of resolution.

11. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
11
Dley 1/2015; Ley 14/2015; Ley 24/2015 … Ley 18/2007
- Right of first refusal and pre-emptive rights (tanteo y retracto).
- Power to impose penalties (housing inadequate use). TC
- Requirement of mandatory temporary transfer to major holders (cesión
obligatoria). TC
- Obligation of relocation of vulnerable tenants to major holders (realojo
adecuado). TC
- Tax on the empty housing of the bank and funds. TC
- Obligations regarding energy poverty for supplying companies. TC
- Public obligation of the relocation of the small holder.
TOOLS 3: (Powerfull) LEGAL FRAMEWORK (now in jeopardy)

12. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
HOUSING POLICIES: MAIN LINES OF ACTION
12
1. Attention of emergency housing.
2. Promotion of new flats for social rentals.
3. Incorporation of empty homes in the stock of social and
affordable rental.
4. Proactive and efficient rehabilitation.
5. Promotion of new ways of accessing, financing and
management of housing.
AIM: to advance in the conception of housing as a citizen
right that generates public obligations linked to the
availability of affordable public & pirvate housing.

13. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
EMERGENCY HOUSING
13
Rounds of negotiation with financial entities (and application of the Ley 24/2015 of
the Catalan Parliament).
Negotiation with judges/prosecutors, etc (it is essential to have information prior to
the eviction).
Strengthening of the culture of mediation. UCER team (unit against housing exclusion).
Increase in the benefits for the payment of rental housing.
Strengthening the Social Care Network (collaboration with the IMSS – Municipal
Institute of Social Services).
Guaranteeing decent work (collaboration with Barcelona Activa).
Action plan for dwellings occupied precariously (“squatted”)
Action on sub-standard housing and homeless.
AIM: to prevent = to stop evictions
1

14. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
CONSTRUCTION OF SOCIAL RENTALS
14
FIRST: NEW PUBLIC IMPULSE.
Social rental (and right of surface) in detriment of property. Budgeting,
financing, bottle neck production and leverage.
Public and affordable land & housing policies in the Metropolitan Area of
BCN?
ALSO: SANE PPP
Collaboration with non-profit or limited profit promoters. Public
guarantees.
New forms of tenencies and systems for the collaboration of the financial
entities – Cooperative Housing Working Group. Private non-corporate
investment? Crowdfunding? Municipal Bonds?
AIM: to increase the production of social housing by all the
operators of the city, both public and social, to resume the rhythm
of previous years.
2

15. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
PROMOTION OF LAND AND PROTECTED HOUSING
15
AVAILABLE PLOTS OF LAND: In December 2015, the Municipal Housing Board
was charged with the projects for the construction of 1.145 dwellings of
affordable rents on 10 plots of land.
 In addition to the previous potential of 20 plots of land for the
construction of around 1.100 dwellings with official protection, to assign
them to other operators.
 Through several means, the building capacity is near 2.500 units.
PROMOTIONS UNDER CONSTRUCTION: 18 promotions under construction
carried out by different public and private (non or limited profit) operators on
municipal land, which will produce 819 dwellings.
PROMOTION AT WRITING OR LICENSE PROCEDURE STAGE: 518 dwellings in 12
promotions of rental, subsidised rental or leasehold.
1

16. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
PROMOTION OF LAND AND PROTECTED HOUSING
Main areas with plots of land: risk of socio-espacial segregation
16
Trinitat Nova
La Marina del Prat
Vermell
22
@
Colònia Castells
Casernes de Sant Andreu
RoquetesEl Carmel
Torre
Baró
2

17. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
INCORPORATION OF EMPTY UNDER-OR BADLY-USED HOUSING.
17
AIM: to mobilise empty housing so as to rapidly increase
the stock of social and affordable rentals
Negotiation, purchasing and exercising of Refusal and Pre-emptive rights with
Financial Institutions (major holders).
Mapping and mobilisation of empty housing of private owners to affordable
rentals.
Strengthening the Mobilisation Programme Habitat3 (ppp – non profit).
Sanctioning procedures and fiscal measure for under-use.
Illegal tourist apartments (penalty switchable for social rent) and new spatial
rules for hotels and AirBNB.
3

18. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
REHABILITATION
18
AIM: proactive rehabilitation that improves the functionality and
accessibility of the housing, making them energy efficient, generating
employment and impeding speculative uses.
Diffuse / generalist / preventive
vs.
Concentrated / integral / palliative.
Buildings vs. housing
Energy rehabilitation / social aimed rehabilitation
Employment Public Plans.
4

19. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
PROMOTION OF NEW WAYS OF ACCESSING AND
MANAGING HOUSING
19
AIM: Innovation = increase the impact of public expenditure
+ ppp + management deburocratization + antiprivatization
devices + empowerment of individuals and communities.
- Cohousing.
- Refurbish empty premises = right to long term affordable rental.
- HOUSING ASSOCIATION: ppp, professional management, limited
profit, affordable rental, long term business plan.
- “Social AirBNB”.
- …
5

20. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
CONCLUSION
20
WE WANT
1. CONSTRUCTION
2. MOBILIZATION
3. REHABILITATION
4. INNOVATION
WE NEED
• PUBLIC FINANCES
• PUBLIC SUBSIDIES: SUBJETIVE & OBJECTIVE
• AFFORDABLE AND SOCIAL HOUSING FRIENDLY LEGAL FRAMEWORK
BUT THE EU …

21. Housing Europe Urban Affairs Committee│23rd February 2016
21
JAVIER BURON
HOUSING MANAGER. CITY OF BARCELONA
jburon@bnc.cat