The Council of Ministers, on the proposal of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, approved on Tuesday a royal decree regulating the granting of direct subsidies to the autonomous communities that have declared areas of tensioned residential market, endowed with 180 million euros. In addition, another royal decree has been approved with 45 million euros for the promotion of affordable university accommodation in 2026. The Principality of Asturias will be allocated 5.9 million euros to boost the supply of affordable housing in areas of stressed market.
“These are two measures that are aimed at promoting affordable housing where it is most needed and for those who need it most,” said the Minister of Housing and Urban Agenda, Isabel Rodríguez, at the press conference following the meeting of the Council of Ministers.
Five autonomous communities with stressed areas
The purpose of the subsidies for the five autonomous communities that have declared tensioned residential market areas is to increase the supply of affordable housing to reduce rental prices in the 317 municipalities included in the aforementioned areas, where more than 9 million people reside.
The distribution of the amounts (on the basis of objective criteria, which take into account the resident population and the percentage of households overworked) establishes the following amounts:
•Catalonia (271 municipalities): 119.4 million euros.
•Euskadi (18 municipalities): 31 million euros.
•Navarre (21 municipalities): 13.3 million euros.
•Galicia (A Coruña and Santiago): 10.2 million euros.
•Asturias (5 municipalities): 5.9 million euros.
The purpose of these subsidies - provided for in article 18 of the Right to Housing Act - is to contribute to the development of specific plans designed by communities to correct the special imbalances that hinder access to housing. With this funding, CCAAs will be able to develop measures to promote and rehabilitate housing, or alternative housing solutions, for affordable or social rent.
They will also be able to acquire land with residential buildability for housing use, as well as develop it for this same purpose. In addition, subsidies may also be applied in the purchase of housing for social or affordable rental purposes. Non-payment of rent in rental contracts is another possible destination of this aid for the CCAA.
Creation of around 2,000 university accommodation
For its part, the program for affordable university accommodation foresees the creation of 2,000 places in a first phase.
The projects financed by the Ministry have a wide territorial scope, with activities distributed in Castilla-La Mancha, Andalusia, Community of Madrid, Catalonia, Castilla y León and Comunitat Valenciana.
The distribution of the 45 million euros is as follows:
•Autonomous University of Madrid: 13.3 million euros.
•University of Castilla-La Mancha (Albacete): 8.1 million.
•Pablo de Olavide University (Seville): 6.5 million euros.
•University of Burgos: 5.9 million euros.
•Universitat Jaume I de Castelló: 4.5 million euros.
•University of Jaén: 3.5 million euros.
•City Council of Lleida: 2.9 million euros.
The aim of this measure is to expand the residential offer for students, teaching staff and researchers; facilitate academic mobility; and reduce the pressure on the rental market in university cities.