Barcelona City Council is opening a round of grant renewal applications through the city’s Housing Consortium. These grants are aimed at people at risk of social exclusion who are unable to pay their rent and who have benefited from the previous round of grant applications in 2015, to ensure they keep their homes.
A total of 8.6 million euros has been set aside for this new round of grants: the funding is intended to pay for any grants arising from last year’s (2015) round.
To be eligible for the grants, applicants must meet the following requirements: they have to be benefit recipients of last year’s (2015) round, their home has to be in Barcelona and their regular and permanent residence; their monthly rent should not exceed €800 and the percentage of income from the housing unit allocated for paying the rent has to be at least 30%.
Similarly, applicants must be able to confirm legal residence in Catalonia for five years, be officially registered at the address of the home in question and be recognised as a person at risk of social exclusion under the provisions set out in Act 18/2007 on the Right to Housing. Terms and conditions on can be found in The Official Journal of the Generalitat of Catalonia (DOGC) of 22 September.
The grants are awarded for a maximum of 12 months and the monthly amount of the award is for a maximum of 300 euros and minimum of 20 euros; the maximum amount may exceptionally be increased provided there is a supporting report issued by the municipal social services.
Social emergency financial grants for maintaining rented housing are awarded through the Barcelona Housing Consortium, a public body made up of the City Council and Generalitat [regional government] of Catalonia which is tasked with the housing-related duties, activities and services in Barcelona.
The deadline for applications is 31 October 2016. If you wish to apply for one of these grants please contact your nearest Housing Office.