> ## 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. # Updated: Collboni: Housing Crisis Threatens Democracy - URL: https://barna.news/collboni-housing-crisis-threatens/ - Published: 2026-11-04T20:56:51.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-04T22:25:04.000Z - Description: Barcelona mayor urges global mayors to fight for EU funds amid rising unaffordability. - Author: Barna.News News Desk - Tags: Housing **Update, 4th November 2026:** Collboni announced a rent cap and a 2028 ban on tourist apartments to return 10,000 homes to the residential market, while highlighting the 'Mayors for Housing' alliance of 25 European mayors that secured the first affordable housing law in Europe. Giuseppe Sala proposed long-term concessions to private entities with 40% of developments allocated to social housing. According to [Metrópoli Abierta (CA)](https://www.metropoliabierta.cat/economia/20261104/alcaldes-occidentals-suneixen-barcelona-reclamar-financament-davant-crisi-dhabitatge-necessitem-fons-construir-ciutats/1003742809080%5F0.html?ref=barna.news), cities need external financing to address the crisis effectively. ## Mayors Unite at HOWS Congress Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has declared the housing crisis a threat to democracy, speaking at the Housing World Summit (HOWS) in Barcelona on Wednesday 4th November 2026\. The summit, hosted by Barcelona City Council and organised by Fira de Barcelona, runs until Friday at the Gran Via venue and brings together city leaders from across the globe to address urban housing challenges. Collboni stated that housing unaffordability is "the main source of inequality in developed countries and one of the threats to democracy". He called for coordinated action among cities to secure European funding during negotiations over the EU's multiannual budget, saying local governments must combat what he described as an "evil". The event includes the 'Housing Mayors Meeting', a closed-door session for mayors and senior officials to compare policies and explore collaboration on housing affordability. --- ## Global Cities Share Solutions Representatives from Barcelona, Milan, Toronto, Dublin, and Santiago de Chile agreed that local governments need more legal tools and financial resources to act effectively. Milan's Mayor Giuseppe Sala stressed the need to manage urban growth, control rents in the short term, and build more affordable housing long-term. He criticised the ownership of entire buildings by real estate operators, calling it a "scandal". Toronto Councillor Alejandra Bravo outlined measures including protecting tenants from eviction due to speculative renovations, acquiring rental buildings for affordability, and using municipal land to promote social ownership, actions taken after three decades of failed national housing policies. Dublin's Lord Mayor Daryl Barron highlighted the underpopulation of the city centre and called for reoccupying old buildings while ensuring new housing includes community and social infrastructure. Claudio Orrego, Governor of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago de Chile, warned against developments lacking public services and those prioritising profit over planning. He advocated for a cross-government strategy integrating climate action and immigration management. Former Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, now Global Ambassador for the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, argued that housing and climate emergencies must be tackled together, calling housing a form of climate policy. > The great lesson of fresh air coming from the United States. carries a message of hope, but also what mayors are defending: the cost of living, how to live with dignity in large cities, housing. , Jaume Collboni, Mayor of Barcelona The discussion took place the day after the US midterm elections, which saw a clear Democratic victory in both the House and Senate. Collboni linked the results to urban struggles, framing housing as central to democratic resilience. --- *Sources:* [*Línia Xarxa*](https://liniaxarxa.cat/noticies/collboni-problema-habitatge-amenaces-demoracia/?ref=barna.news)*,* [*firabarcelona.com*](https://www.firabarcelona.com/en/press-release/smartcityexpo%5Fs078-en/mayors-from-paris-to-freetown-turn-smart-city-expo-into-the-key-global-urban-summit-of-2026/?ref=barna.news)*,* [*Europa Press*](https://www.europapress.es/catalunya/firadebarcelona-00630/noticia-collboni-llama-accion-colaborativa-global-traves-mayors-for-housing-20261104143133.html?ref=barna.news)*.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Hundred protest against private housing tenders in Barcelona](https://barna.news/hundred-protest-against-private-housing/) - [Study Probes Housing Crisis in L'Hospitalet's Blocs Florida](https://barna.news/study-probes-housing-crisis-in-l/) - [Updated: Barcelona Housing Camp to Hold Out Until Election](https://barna.news/barcelona-housing-camp-to-hold-out/) - [Barcelona's Hidden Shantytowns Persist Despite Policy Shifts](https://barna.news/barcelona-s-hidden-shantytowns-persist/)