Full Council has approved the Right to Housing Plan 2016-2025 with votes from the municipal government, CiU and Ciutadans, while the ERC, PP and CUP groups all voted against it. The plan considers housing an asset of general interest and sets out a series of policies to guarantee its social function and protect the basic rights of citizens. To this end, the plan strengthens the right to housing and establishes the basis for the creation of a unified public housing service.
The Councillor for Housing, Josep Maria Montaner, explained that the plan represents a “change of paradigm for Barcelona’s housing policy”, as it forms a central part of municipal policy. “It’s a realistic and workable plan which creates a unified public housing service”.
Councillor Joaquim Forn, representing CiU, offered the support of his group and considered the plan “a great city agreement”, which has been designed with a long-term vision. The support of the group, according to Forn, will go hand in hand with “demanding” control, to ensure it is executed.
The Ciutadans group also voted in favour of the plan. Koldo Blanco stated that the plan has “the essence” of what Barcelona’s housing project should be like.
Representing the ERC group, Montserrat Benedí criticised the plan as “continuist” and “conformist”, arguing that “we need more public housing, and this plan falls short”.
The spokesman for the PP, Alberto Fernández Díaz, also withheld support for the plan as, according to his municipal group, “it lacks consistency”. Fernández Díaz also argued there is no established calendar for action and that the plan starts life “with low investment”.
Representing the CUP, Maria Rovira defended her group’s “no” at the full council session saying that the plan “lacks ambition”. Rovira added: “We don’t understand why bolder measures have not been taken. It lacks multiple perspectives and doesn’t reach the limit of its scope”.