Stable rental market masks ongoing displacement
The number of new rental contracts in Barcelona has stabilised at around 8,000 per quarter, equating to 32,000 annually, according to Aleix Arcarons, co-director of the Metropolitan Housing Observatory of Barcelona (O-HB). Despite the stability, the figures indicate continued household movement, with more families signing new leases than ending them. Arcarons noted this trend affects 14% of households and represents a persistent strain on the city’s housing system, one he said could have been avoided with different policy interventions.
Focus shifts to housing suppliers and public models
Javier Burón, former housing manager under ex-mayor Ada Colau and managing director of Nasuvinsa, stressed that attention must shift to housing suppliers, professionals involved in urban development, construction, and renovation. He described them as a largely overlooked group whose activities have a neutral impact on affordability. Burón called for market diversification and the creation of a non-parasitic public-private cooperation model. He advocated expanding the role of public companies, foundations, and non-profit organisations to deliver permanent affordable housing.
It is vital to create a sub-market to develop public missions and a public-private cooperation that is not parasitic.
Tourist flats under scrutiny amid rental pressure
Tourist apartments remain a key concern, with approximately 10,000 legal units in Barcelona, about 4% of the city’s housing stock. These numbers have remained stable since 2014, when the city halted new licences. According to Arcarons, there is a direct correlation between tourist apartments and rising rents: when properties are converted for short-term use, long-term tenants face higher prices, though the impact varies across neighbourhoods. This aligns with findings from a study by García-López, Montseny, and Martinez-Mazza, cited by the European Economic and Social Committee, which showed tourist rentals increased residential prices by 7% in high-concentration areas between 2012 and 2016. The city’s broader strategy is moving toward eliminating legal tourist flats entirely. As reported on the Barcelona City Council’s Metròpolis platform, current licences are set to expire in 2028 under a Generalitat decree, and Barcelona will not submit a plan to retain any, meaning it intends to allow all to lapse. The goal is to return these units to the residential market. Meanwhile, the city recorded 16 million visitors in 2025, with €14.041 billion in direct tourism spending across the region, according to the Barcelona Tourism Observatory.
Sources: Metrópoli, Ajuntament de Barcelona, eesc.europa.eu, metropoliabierta.cat.
