> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Catalan Businessman Criticises Housing Policy - URL: https://barna.news/catalan-businessman-criticises-housing/ - Published: 2026-10-15T19:55:10.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-15T19:55:10.000Z - Description: José Elías says government inaction and restrictions on private investment are worsening Spain's housing crisis. - Author: Barna.News - Tags: Housing On Thursday 15 October 2026, Catalan businessman José Elías criticised the Spanish government’s approach to housing, saying its policies fail both citizens and potential investors. Speaking on the podcast *Búscate la vida* with Cantabrian farmer Marta García, Elías argued that the state is not only failing to invest in housing but actively discouraging private investment. "I don't have apartments to rent, right? But if I had had an idea to have an apartment, I don't have it anymore," Elías said, clarifying that he is not personally affected but believes the government’s stance deters others from entering the market. "The problem is that they say not to invest, but they don't provide the solution." He accused the executive of living in a "parallel reality", claiming officials do not understand the economic pressures faced by working people. "Are we going to invest ourselves? Ah, well, then you invest. But they don't invest and they don't let others invest," he said. --- > "These people live in a parallel reality. These people don't have needs, they don't work 365 days a year, they don't get up at six in the morning." Marta García, farmer and podcast guest García echoed Elías’s criticism, describing government leaders as disconnected from the daily struggles of ordinary workers and small business owners. "We are the ones who have problems, the people who work. who can't pay the rent, who go to the supermarket and look at how it is," she said. Their comments come amid ongoing concern over housing affordability in Spain, particularly in urban centres, islands and coastal areas. According to the European Commission’s 2026 Annex on housing in Spain, demand continues to outstrip supply, driving up rental prices. While the state has approved the Housing Plan 2026–2030, established the public housing company Casa47, and launched the [España Crece fund](https://housing.ec.europa.eu/?ref=barna.news), the Commission notes that further efforts are needed to speed up permitting and expand ready-to-build land availability. Building permits in 2024 reached over 127,500, the highest since 2008, and investment in dwellings as a share of GDP has rebounded since 2023\. However, the gap between supply and demand remains significant, especially for affordable and social housing. --- *Primary sources:* [*housing.ec.europa.eu*](https://housing.ec.europa.eu/document/download/3c0b5ce5-67e0-4e4a-a5e2-fede25ea3e07%5Fen?filename=2026+ES+Housing+Annex.pdf&prefLang=es&ref=barna.news)*. Reported by abc.es, ABC Cataluña.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Govt to Fund 3,000 Affordable Homes on Public Land](https://barna.news/govt-to-fund-3-000-affordable-homes-on/) - [Barcelona hails EU stance on tourist flats](https://barna.news/barcelona-hails-eu-stance-on-tourist/) - [Badalona Starts Building 16 Affordable Homes in La Pau](https://barna.news/badalona-starts-building-16-affordable/) - [76% Back State Role in Housing Access](https://barna.news/76-back-state-role-in-housing-access/)