The President of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, has advocated for the Neighborhoods and Towns Plan as a structural policy for Catalonia, stating that “when we fix a neighborhood, we start fixing the whole world”. The final investment of 355 million euros represents a 77.5% increase compared to the initial forecast of 200 million and 53% more than the first call, which had 232 million euros.
This budget increase has allowed the number of beneficiary municipalities to rise from 20 to 34, with projects focusing on physical transformation, promoting ecological transition, and community action. The proposals submitted by the municipalities, with a total budget of over 1.6 billion euros, were evaluated for their quality and scope.
The 33 selected Comprehensive Intervention Memory Programs (PMII) are distributed across the territory: 12 in the Barcelona demarcation, 5 in Central Catalonia, 4 in Ponent, 4 in Penedès, 2 in Camp de Tarragona, 3 in the Girona regions, 2 in Terres de l’Ebre, and 1 in Alt Pirineu i Aran. These projects will directly benefit approximately 248,000 people.
The plan, stemming from the Law for the urban, environmental, and social improvement of neighborhoods and towns, aims to reduce territorial and social inequalities, improve living conditions, and strengthen communities. Actions are concentrated in Special Attention Areas (AAE) with vulnerability indicators.
Funding from the Urban, Environmental, and Social Recovery Fund for Neighborhoods and Towns varies according to the municipality's population, ranging from 50% to 75% of the program budget, with exceptions for municipalities facing financial difficulties. The third call for the Neighborhoods and Towns Plan will open in the second half of 2027.
