House prices soar, squeeze on B&Bs in Barcelona. The mayor: “The properties serve the residential market.” Federalberghi: “Italy should take an example”
“Starting from the year 2029, there will be no tourist accommodation as we know it now”: with these words the mayor of Barcelona, the socialist Jaume Collboni, announced a crackdown on the city’s real estate market. A territory that is experiencing a boom irrepressible of accommodation intended for tourist useresult increase in residential rental prices And homes for sale to the stars. To be added dear life, tested in several neighborhoods, which local people are dealing with. People who have long been asking for targeted measures against the uncontrolled and “wild” flourishing of B&Bs and apartments intended for short-term rental.
It was the mayor of the city who gave us a “cut”: Collboni announced wanting to return to the market for residential use the current ones (according to the Municipality’s estimates) 10 thousand properties now destined for B&Bs or other forms of tourist accommodation, whose current high prices (increased in ten years by almost 70% for rentals and by almost 40% for sales) particularly penalize young people struggling with low and precarious wages. “Many of them, even if they have a more or less stable job, have to leave the city”, explained the mayor, according to whom, therefore, “an increase in supply must be facilitated“. Specifically, his plan consists of the purpose of do not renew licenses for tourist use of the apartments currently in force, which expire in November 2028.“So 10,000 homes will be put back on the market in just 5 years.”
The step announced in Barcelonaalthough welcomed with skepticism by oppositions and collectives for the defense of the right to housing and defined as “populist” by entrepreneurs in the sector concerned – recalls theHandle– he is the most decisive carried out so far by a large municipality in Spain to address the problem. In recent weeks, however, other cities have also announced limits on the granting of licenses for B&Bs and short-term rentals: this is the case of Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia and Malaga. Moreover, signs of discontent with the impact of mass tourism on the lives of residents have recently emerged in some of the most visited areas in Spain (which has already welcomed 24 million visitors in the first four months of 2024 alone): at Canaries and at Balearicsfor example, there were street demonstrations to denounce phenomena such as “unsustainable rents”, “constant traffic jams” and difficulties in accessing public services.
And if in Spain the situation is “hot”, the emergency is also there in Italy and can no longer be hidden. According to the president of Federalberghi Bernabo Bocca the main path is to “imitate” and follow Madrid in this “challenge”. “It will take some time but at least Spain has moved: the news that Barcelona will ban the rental of houses to tourists from 2028 is that will revoke thousands of licensesand create a psingle recessor for a real reorganization of the problem of short-term rentals in Italy“, Bocca told theHandle. “It is a topic of European interest which primarily affects capitals and cities of art, which are under attack due to the enormous tourist interest they have but also the territory of the citizens who live there, who must live there and therefore must not suffer the damage”, remarked the president of Federalberghi.
“Like in Barcelona, also in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milanhe underlined, Rental prices have risen exponentially, preventing residents from competing with a healthy rental market for residential use.. It is time that apparently unpopular decisions are made in Italy too, but which can benefit tourism and also those who live in Italy.” “We let’s carry this forward battle since time immemorial: but to date, without prejudice to the identification code initiative for hospitality businesses, a more drastic position has not yet been opted for. Having the prospect of the 2025 Jubilee before us, we are in a position to act quickly, well aware that, judging by the measure decided by the mayor of Barcelona, in Europe Spain has already made a first very important step”he concluded.
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