The Urban Planning Subcommittee of the municipality of Barcelona, composed of representatives from the Generalitat de Catalunya and the City Council of Barcelona, has given the green light to a modification of the Metropolitan General Plan (PGM). This measure will enable the council to regulate seasonal and room rentals in the city, clearly defining uses other than habitual and permanent housing. The modification opens the door for the City Council to prohibit, limit, or restrict these uses in specific districts, neighborhoods, or buildings through subsequent regulations.
The Minister of Territory, Housing, and Ecological Transition, Sílvia Paneque, explained that the change aims to "ensure that the city's homes prioritize their residential function and protect habitual and permanent housing." She highlighted that the PGM modification "is an example of how to use urban planning" to protect citizens' right to live permanently in their neighborhoods.
The modification stems from a diagnosis indicating a decrease in the stock of housing designated for primary residence, which fell from 86.1% in 1991 to 83% in 2021, despite an overall increase in housing units. To reverse this trend, it is established that habitual and permanent use will be permitted without limitations in all areas where this use is allowed, empowering the City Council to apply specific restrictions by district, neighborhood, or building.
Regarding room rentals, when they are permanent, access to necessary common spaces and services will be guaranteed. Concerning seasonal rentals, the modification seeks to regulate their use, prevent fraud, and encourage their incorporation into the residential rental market, justifying them only for work, medical, study, or similar reasons, which must be documented.
