Besides making for more decent housing in the city, the new subsidies have been conceived to tackle the climate crisis and reactivate the local economy. This year’s subsidies are conditioned to the reduction of the demand for energy in buildings, the goal being to cut emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
The renovation grants for 2020 are expected to generate 4,600 jobs in all and move a total of 82 million euros in public and private investment in the context of the Covid-19 health crisis. In addition, the improvement to homes in the city will help cut emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, fostering the use of renewables such as solar and geothermic energy.
This year’s call for renovation grants consists of five areas of action and an investment of 20.5 million euros. The grants are expected to reach 6,573 flats and benefit over 16,000 people.
Common elements with energy efficiency
Subsidies of between 25% and 50% of the cost of renovation work in communal areas of the building (stairs, foyers, lifts, rooftops, walls, party walls, façades, skylights, yards and structural elements, as well as improvements in accessibility, sanitisation, utilities, the elimination of fibre-cement and the installation of solar energy). The grants are conditioned to energy efficiency in the buildings, with an estimated 20% reduction in energy demands expected in buildings.
Building interiors
Grants of up to €4,000 for work to improve comfort and habitability inside homes. The types of work include: painting, accessibility improvements, repairs to wood, damp treatment, paving and insulation, ventilation and renewal of air. This grant is expected to reach 750 flats.
Programme for highly complex buildings
This building renovation programme from the Neighbourhood Plan is for properties which for various socio-economic reasons have difficulty accessing ordinary renovation grants.
Renovation of flats for the rental housing pool
These grants of up to 20,000 euros are for improving private housing, renewing carpentry, conditioning installations, treating damp, improving access etc. In exchange, owners include the property in the Barcelona social rental housing pool at below-market rates. The goal is to attract around 125 extra flats for the rental pool.
Urban regeneration in Canyelles and to the south west of the Besòs
In the area to the south west of the Besòs and in the neighbourhood of Canyelles, in the district of Nou Barris, grants of up to 85% are available to owner-tenant communities to repair structural problems in buildings, mainly concrete fatigue.
Reduction of VAT to 4% for renovation work
Among the proposals in the Barcelona ten-point plan on the right to housing, promoted by some thirty social organisations, structural changes are sought to make energy renovation easier in buildings. A specific demand is for VAT for this work to be reduced to 4%.