Barcelona City Council has handed over the keys to 11 affordable rental flats for young people at Carrer de la Diputació, 354, in the Dreta de l’Eixample neighbourhood. The council bought the building in 2024 through its pre-emption rights, when most of its homes were used for tourist and seasonal lets. The city says the operation adds protected housing in Eixample, a dense district where land for new developments is hard to find.
Who the homes are for
Of the 23 homes in the building, one is rented by a long-standing tenant on an old-rent contract. The other 22 have been allocated by lottery among people under 35 on the protected housing register, as renovation of each flat is completed. Six flats are reserved for residents of the neighbourhood and the rest go to the general pool. Of the 22 flats, 12 are single-space lofts, nine have one bedroom and one has two bedrooms.
Monthly rent depends on usable floor area and ranges from 350.39 to 459 euros. Tenants also pay community charges or property tax (IBI) on top of the rent.
The building in figures
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Homes | 23 |
| Commercial units | 2 |
| Built area | 1,487 m² |
| Housing and common areas | 1,291 m² |
| Commercial premises | 196 m² |
| Storeys | 6, including mezzanine and attic |
Renovation work
The municipal housing institute IMHAB is renovating the building and will manage the homes. Renovation has been completed in 17 flats. In nine of them, walls and ceilings were painted, equipment was renewed and new tiling and flooring were laid. The remaining eight also received new bathrooms and kitchens. Work continues in five flats that did not meet habitability standards and is expected to finish by the end of the year. A renovation project for one more flat is being drafted. Common areas such as lobbies and entrance doors will be renovated once the flats are finished. The rear facade will also be renovated and its balconies demolished and rebuilt, so flats facing that facade cannot yet be handed over even though they are renovated. In all the homes, electrical installations were brought up to current regulations and gas was disconnected.
How the city chooses buildings
Under the city’s pre-emption ordinance, the council prioritises buildings with more than 10 homes or with empty flats, to expand the public housing stock. It also considers buildings with tenants on forced-extension contracts or with disabilities, buildings housing vulnerable people, and those in neighbourhoods at higher risk of gentrification.