City Council Moves to Acquire 148 Apartments
The L'Hospitalet City Council has announced it will exercise its right of pre-emption to acquire 148 apartments across five entire buildings in the Samontà neighbourhood. This action aims to prevent the properties from being sold to an investment fund. The current owner, a family-run real estate company that has rented out the flats since the 1960s, notified authorities of its intent to sell to a private fund. Under municipal pre-emption rules, the council can step in and purchase the buildings under the same conditions offered by the buyer. An investment of 27 million euros is planned, funded entirely from the municipality’s 2025 budget surplus. According to the council, this is additional financing and will not affect any existing municipal services.
'These Homes Will Belong to L'Hospitalet Forever'
Mayor David Quirós stated:
“When an investment fund wants to buy an entire building with residents inside, the city can step in. And we are doing so. These 148 apartments will not be an investment asset: they will belong to L’Hospitalet, and they will belong to it forever.”
The acquisition nearly triples the target set by the 2026–2031 Local Housing Plan, which aimed to secure 56 homes through pre-emption over six years. All current rental agreements, including those governed by older rent regulations, will remain in place with the same rights and obligations. Residents will continue living in their homes, now with the city as their landlord. Under Law 11/2025, all acquired properties will be permanently classified as officially protected housing and integrated into the public land and housing heritage. They cannot return to the free market.
Next Steps in the Acquisition Process
On Tuesday 6 October 2026, the council will present a credit modification proposal at an extraordinary plenary session to allocate the 2025 surplus toward the purchase. If approved, a public exhibition period will begin. An independent appraisal of the properties is currently being tendered and is expected to be completed by the end of November 2026. Following fiscal review, the Local Government Board will formally approve the exercise of the pre-emption right. The purchase will occur in two phases: two or three buildings will be acquired in 2026, and the remainder in 2027. However, the council has committed to securing all five buildings from the outset. Residents whose contracts expire or who vacate their homes will see their apartments offered for affordable rent through the official registry of applicants for protected housing, according to established criteria.
Long-Term Housing Strategy
Work on this acquisition began in November 2025 as part of the 2026–2031 Local Housing Plan, which prioritised the use of pre-emption and right of first refusal to expand public housing stock. At the time, national budgetary stability rules prevented the allocation of necessary funds. A Spanish government decree now allows municipalities to use budget surpluses for financially sustainable investments, including housing purchases, enabling L'Hospitalet to proceed. When the sale was re-communicated in September 2026, the council activated the procedure.
“We have been working on this for months because we wanted these apartments to continue being homes for families in L’Hospitalet, and not end up on the speculative market. We had the tool, we found the financing, and we didn’t let this opportunity pass,”
said Quirós. Management of the 148 apartments will be handled via a dedicated contract covering property management, building maintenance, and social support for tenants. The council is also advancing plans for La Farga GEM to incorporate a housing function and gradually assume the role of a municipal housing company.
Primary sources: Ajuntament de L'Hospitalet. Reported by lhdigital.cat, elperiodico.com, ACN, LHDigital (L'Hospitalet).
