The city of Barcelona has taken a significant step in modernising its access to housing information with the launch of a revamped digital platform. This initiative, driven by the Habitatge department, aims to simplify procedures and improve usability for all citizens, especially those in vulnerable situations. The new website allows for registration in the Registre de Sol·licitants d’Habitatges de Protecció Oficial de Barcelona (RSHPOB) entirely online, representing a crucial advancement in administrative management.
Significant improvements in navigation and virtual assistance
The redesign of the website includes more intuitive navigation and an enhanced virtual assistant, a chatbot that provides information on rental regulations and available aid. This assistant has been implemented as part of the City Council's commitment to making information related to the right to decent housing more accessible. According to recent data, the page is already the sixth most visited by the council, with 238,000 visits just in April.
Jordi Valls, Deputy Mayor for Economy, Housing, Finance and Tourism, highlighted that this renewal is part of the “Pla Barcelona Fàcil”, a municipal strategy aimed at eliminating bureaucratic barriers and facilitating access to essential resources. “We want procedures to be simple for all residents,” Valls stated during the presentation.
The new URL www.barcelona.cat/habitatge reflects this shift towards more accessible administration. Additionally, texts have been simplified and clear language adopted to further enhance the user experience.
The digital transformation not only affects the housing sector; it is part of a larger effort by the City Council to modernise its administrative services. The Pla Barcelona Fàcil also includes measures such as simplifying applications for municipal grants related to extracurricular activities. Starting in 2026, families will be able to apply for aid without the need to submit repeated applications each time.
“The goal is to ensure that all citizens have easy and direct access to all necessary information,” Valls added.
Through these initiatives, the municipal government reaffirms its commitment to the right to decent and accessible housing. The platform not only centralises information on housing options and available aid but also facilitates access to critical resources for vulnerable individuals.
As this digital strategy progresses, it is expected that more procedures will be managed online. So far, 344 procedures are already available digitally thanks to this modern administrative initiative. This includes processes related to grants where 95% of the advances have been paid before the end of the previous August.
Through the ethical and sustainable use of technologies such as artificial intelligence within the administrative framework established by the City Council since last March, the aim is to create an environment where every citizen can easily interact with their local government.
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