In February, the Government will launch loans to developers for the construction of 40,000 affordable homes
The Minister of Housing and Urban Agenda, Isabel Rodríguez, made an appearance in the Congress of Deputies on Thursday to discuss the Government’s plans for housing and urban development for the legislative period. In February, the Government will sign two agreements with the Official Credit Institute (ICO) to launch a line of loans for the construction of 40,000 homes and provide public guarantees for young people and families with dependent minors for the acquisition of apartments.
The objective of these loans, which are part of the European Union’s Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, is to increase the housing supply and expand the social housing stock. The Minister stated that more than 40,000 homes can be built with this financing, and there is already interest from various autonomous communities and individuals. The loans will be available for both public and private developers, focusing on housing at an affordable price and for social rental.
Expanding the housing stock is a priority for the Ministry, and the Minister emphasized the Government’s commitment to enabling 184,000 homes, with 20,000 already exceeding the target. The Government is also in the process of finalizing an agreement with the ICO to provide public guarantees for young people and families with dependent minors to purchase their first homes. This initiative aims to address the lack of resources and help alleviate the burden of expensive rents.
Additionally, the Minister highlighted the Government’s commitment to expanding the resources for the Youth Rental Bonus and called on the autonomous communities to increase their contribution to this aid. Collaboration between the Government and the communities is essential to ensure the right to housing for all citizens.
The Ministry is also focusing on the development of housing laws, with plans to publish a rental reference price index in February to regulate rents in stressed areas. Furthermore, the Ministry is working on regulating temporary rentals and addressing the issue of tourist apartments in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism.
The modification of the Land and Urban Rehabilitation Law is another priority for the Ministry, aiming to provide stability, certainty, and legal security in urban development. The Minister plans to create the Housing Advisory Council and the Architecture Quality Council in the first half of the year to provide advisory and consultative support.