Berga City Council faces a crucial decision before September 30th: to accept or reject the Generalitat de Catalunya's proposal to include two municipal plots in its affordable rental housing construction plan. This initiative is part of the Catalan government's strategy to build 50,000 public homes by 2030.
The proposed plots are located next to the Carrefour supermarket car park. According to urban planning, each plot has capacity for 14 and 17 homes respectively. The agreement suggests that the City Council would cede the land to the Generalitat, which would then commission private developers. These developers would manage the flats, but rental prices would be set by the tender's terms.
The Councilor for Urbanism, Aleix Serra, explained in the municipal plenary that the Generalitat's proposal was received in mid-August, granting a month and a half to study the agreement. The decision has sparked debate among municipal groups, with opposing views on the control the City Council would have over these future homes.
The PSC, through its spokesperson Marc Ortega, defends the proposal as a "great opportunity to achieve more housing," highlighting that young people under 35 could access 25% of the homes and 10% would be reserved for vulnerable individuals. However, they expressed doubts regarding the residency requirements.
In contrast, Berga Grup Independent (BeGI), represented by spokesperson Judit Vinyes, proposes following the model of Gironella, which directly manages its social housing. BeGI expresses concern about ceding the plots for 75 years, arguing it would mean "losing urban heritage" and limited control by the City Council.
Councilor Aleix Serra agrees on the need for more information regarding municipal control, despite welcoming the goal of affordable housing. He argues that the City Council should receive some compensation for ceding the land, such as the ability to set criteria or conditions for the flats. Serra is confident in providing more details of the proposal to the opposition soon, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that residents of Berga seeking housing can access it.
