The acquisition of the property, finalized for 9.3 million euros, was the result of intense neighborhood mobilization that managed to stop the eviction of Josep Torrent, one of the tenants, in January 2025. The building had become a beacon of the rental defense struggle in Barcelona.
“"Our homes are now owned by the City Council and the foundation, they are off the market, they are not managed with neoliberal logics of speculation and maximum profit at any cost, this gives us a certain stability and sense of security."
Despite the satisfaction of saving the building from speculation, the horizontal division and registration of the 26 homes with the new owners have been considerably delayed. This technical complexity has resulted in 10 flats, mostly due to expired seasonal contracts, remaining without tenants.
According to the agreement, the City Council acquired 11 homes (which will be free-market but affordable rentals) and Habitat 3 purchased 14 (earmarked for protected housing). Existing contracts have been tacitly renewed, but new residents for the vacant flats will be allocated through an affordable rental call.
