Metropolitan Leaders Address Housing Crisis

On Wednesday 21st October 2026, Antonio Balmón, mayor of Cornellà and vice-president of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), joined municipal leaders from Bilbao and A Coruña at a conference titled 'A Metropolitan Agenda for Spanish Cities'. The event marked the 15th anniversary of the AMB's constitution and focused on shared challenges in housing, land use, and urban planning. Balmón emphasized the need for equitable housing policies that protect both tenants and responsible landlords. 'I don't want to hit property owners, but I also don't want speculative growth of rents that don't move,' he stated, framing housing as 'the foundation of citizen dignity'.

Rehabilitation Over Speculation

The discussion highlighted urban degradation in ageing neighbourhoods. Balmón cited Cornellà's Sant Ildefons district, home to over 24,000 residents, where a comprehensive rehabilitation programme is underway. Under a pilot scheme with the Consorci Metropolità de l’Habitatge, the project targets 150 multi-family buildings and more than 3,600 homes in a designated conservation zone. Supported by municipal agency Procornellà, the 'Estimada Casa, Querido Barrio' initiative includes facade repairs, energy efficiency upgrades, accessibility improvements such as lift installations, and balcony extensions. Property owners can access subsidies covering 40% to 80% of renovation costs, with interest-free loans available over up to 15 years for the remaining balance.

  • Subsidies: 40–80% of renovation costs covered
  • Interest-free financing: Up to 15 years
  • Priority area: 150 multi-family buildings in Sant Ildefons
  • Target: Over 3,600 homes
We must not penalize small property owners; we cannot transfer to them what the State has not done.

, José Manuel Lage, Deputy Mayor of A Coruña

Land Scarcity and Vertical Development

Asier Abaunza, urban planning councillor for Bilbao, underscored the constraints of limited land, particularly in valley-locked cities. He advocated for vertical densification and adaptive reuse of industrial buildings to preserve green spaces. Balmón echoed this, calling for 'thinking vertically' to ensure sustainable growth and future public infrastructure. Both leaders warned against repeating past mistakes of rapid, low-quality construction. Abaunza stressed the importance of quality over quantity, while Balmón criticised the lengthy approval processes that delay housing delivery: 'Building an apartment, with money and permits, takes no less than four years,' he said, citing a metropolitan plan requiring 110 reports to unlock 200,000 homes.

Path Forward: Public-Private Collaboration

Balmón affirmed public-private cooperation as essential in Catalonia, given the administration's limited borrowing capacity. The speakers agreed on developing hybrid, inclusive neighbourhoods integrated with public transport and resistant to income-based segregation. José Manuel Lage praised the AMB model as a replicable example of supramunicipal governance, noting its absence in regions like Galicia.

Primary sources: cornella.cat. Reported by Crónica Global.