During an event with business leaders at the headquarters of Foment del Treball, Collboni emphasized that housing market regulation is essential until Barcelona families no longer have to allocate more than 30% of their income to rent or mortgage payments. He stated his refusal to accept families being forced out of the city center.
“"Until that happens, we must stop the blow, and the blow is stopped with regulation."
The mayor criticized the purchase of homes by foreign buyers with greater economic capacity, arguing that this practice displaces the local population. In this regard, he reiterated his model based on regulation and the creation of housing supply through public-private collaboration.
Collboni highlighted that the Barcelona City Council has accelerated the construction of protected housing, increasing from 500 to 1,000 units annually, a record figure for the council. However, he lamented that the 30% reform has created an "obstacle" that prevents private initiative from "flowing".
“"We advocate for the flexibility of the 30% and have not found sufficient majority within the City Council."
Shortly after, the president of Foment del Treball, Josep Sánchez Llibre, challenged the mayor on the lack of progress in eliminating this measure, noting the scarcity of cranes on the city's horizon. Collboni countered that Barcelona is undergoing a transformation with a 2035 horizon, comparable to the 1992 Olympic Games, with projects like the Sagrera station, the Zona Franca, and Sants, which will generate new housing and improve mobility.
Finally, the mayor mentioned the FGC works, which are expected to add 15 million annual users to the public transport network, and expressed his vision for a metro system extending to Mataró and Castelldefels to "link a metropolitan area" and "truly build a metropolis".
