Illa advances in its commitment to increase the housing stock after assuming the management of 1,300 apartments and 300 plots of Sareb

The president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, presented this Wednesday a new measure to expand the public park of Catalonia: transfer to the Generalitat the management of the 13,000 homes and 300 plots that Sareb has in Catalonia. Sources from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda explain that the protocol – pending signing – will allow the Government to manage these properties, although Its ownership will remain in the hands of the Government through the new State Housing Entity that depends on the ministry of Isabel Rodríguez.

The Catalan leader explained it in his reply to Esquerra Republicana during the General Policy Debate (DPG), about the apartments that the company manages in Catalonia. “It is an important step in housing”Illa celebrated about an agreement that makes the community the first to request the transfer of SEPES asset management. The aforementioned sources defend that this will allow “consolidate the right to housing” in Spain.

The buildings will be managed by the Generalitat for the next four years – extendable -, while the plots will be part of the public reserve for the next 75 years. All properties will become permanent protected housing dedicated to social rental.

In addition to this announcement, Illa assured that she wants triple the fine for ‘graffitying’ trains of the Catalan railway network up to 90,000 euros. According to the presidentthis measure will be a deterrent before the arrival of the 110 new trains, scheduled for next year. “A train painted with graffiti cannot leave”he said, and stressed that these Rodalies vehicles are “public material.”

Minimum 10 years to access social flats

The housing proposals presented by the Catalan Executive they were not satisfied Junts and those of Carles Puigdemont bring an initiative to the DPG this Thursday so that only those people who have been registered for 10 years in a municipality can access public apartments – until now they need three years. However, they regret that the Government do not want to “listen” to their measures on this matter and they boast that the ‘juntaire’ mayor of Martorell, Xavier Fonollosa, “leads” the promotion of protected housing in Catalonia.

In addition, they ask Illa to endorse the consideration of holding a self-determination referendum in the negotiation space they have with the PSOE in Switzerland. Under the title ‘For the recognition of the political conflict’, they include in a first point of the proposal the literal nature of the Brussels agreement, and in a second a point that says: “As a result of this historical reality and the shared need to resolve the conflict describedthe holding of a self-determination referendum on the political future of Catalonia will be proposed in the negotiation space enabled for this purpose.

More IBI from second homes

In the case of ERC, among its proposals They once again demand the unique financing model for Catalonia and the forgiveness of a “significant part of the debt” due to the “income imbalance between the Spanish State and the Generalitat of Catalonia.” Also fiscal measures against “real estate speculation” such as a progressive increase in the real estate tax (IBI) for people who have more than one home.

Furthermore, they ask raise the Catalan minimum wage to 1,420 in 14 payments, that in 2026 a plan to review and rehabilitate homes that are more than 50 years old, free dining room and extracurricular activities for all children, will be presented. Also that the Government present a cassation appeal against the latest ruling of the TSJC on Catalan in the classrooms and that Sijena’s murals remain in the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC).

‘Anti-squatting’ law

The popular ones have wanted to focus their proposals on stopping squatting. Therefore, they propose promoting a ‘anti-squatting’ law to protect owners who report these situations, as well as increasing the legal security of property owners so that there is a rapid recovery of housing. They also propose protocols for action in the event of a squat and ask for “legal modifications that allow a squatted property to be vacated within a period of 24 hours.”

In addition, they ask for the disapproval of Salvador Illa’s Government for a “disappointing” management. “It is a weak government, a weakness that has been confirmed and manifested by its inability to approve Budgets, due to the abuse of decree laws, emptying the legislative capacity of the Parliament”, The popular ones are included in the text, where they accuse the Generlitat of not having known how to confront the problems of Catalan society.

Vox demands immediate trials

In one of its proposals, the Vox parliamentary group defends signing an agreement with the Superior Court of Justice (TSJC) to hold “immediate trials” for minor crimes to evict squatted properties after being notified. Also “immediately end the meetings” with Puigdemont and collaborate with the justice system to bring them to justice. Along these lines, they ask for the repeal of the Amnesty Law.

The Commons ask to prohibit speculative purchases

In the case of the Comuns, they ask to implement “the necessary legal changes to prohibit speculative home purchases” due to the increase in prices and the difficulty of accessing a property “at an affordable price”. In addition, they propose modifying the current rule to regulate seasonal rentals and avoid massive legal fraud.

Also “study the partial or total withholding of rental income” in cases of conflicts between tenants and landlords. Those of Jéssica Albiach also propose to promote the Zucman Tax so that fortunes with assets exceeding 100 million euros pay taxes on 2% of their assets.

A public construction company

The ‘cupaires’, on the other hand, ask to create “a public construction company” to “promote and build more housing.” They defend that this new entity would allow “establishing scales in prices and profit margins”, as well as “simplifying the bureaucratic burden.” Furthermore, they propose expand the powers of Incasol so that it operates as a public promoter.

Likewise, they propose reduce the salary of Parliament deputies by 14% so that they “respond to the economic and social reality” that currently exists in Catalonia.

Eliminate subsidies

And finally, Aliança Catalana asks eliminate public subsidies to political parties. According to the far-right formation led by Sílvia Orriols, these amount to up to 13 million euros.

Likewise, among its proposals it urges the Government to reopen the Generalitat delegation in Israel and to condemn the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023.