Barcelona Housing Crisis: Bidding Farewell to Tourist Apartments by 2029

Barcelona is facing a housing crisis, with rents increasing significantly over the past decade and making it difficult for residents to find affordable accommodation. To address this issue, the city council has announced plans to phase out tourist apartments from the city by 2029. This decision is aimed at making housing more accessible to residents in a city that is popular among tourists.

Measures have already been taken to regulate tourist activity in Barcelona, but the impact of overtourism on housing remains a pressing issue. Local associations in the city have called for a demonstration to protest against overtourism and its effects on housing. The demonstration, scheduled for July 6 under the slogan: “Enough! Let’s put limits on tourism!”, follows similar protests in other tourist destinations in Spain and highlights the growing concern over the impact of tourism on housing availability and affordability.

The mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, has stated that licenses for tourist apartments will expire in November 2028, and plans to put an end to their rental by 2029. This move is expected to put 10,000 housing units back on the rental or sale market. The decision to eliminate tourist apartments is motivated by the need to address the housing crisis in Barcelona and make housing more accessible to residents.

The city council is relying on a decree approved by Catalan elected officials that authorizes them not to renew licenses for tourist apartments. This move is expected