Collboni warns that Barcelona's success could backfire on its residents

Jaume Collboni advocates for intervention in the housing market so that Barcelona's success does not turn against its residents. He stated this at the Forbes AI Forward Summit.

The mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, argues that the city needs to regulate the housing market to prevent its appeal from pushing out those who live there. He presented this at the closing of the Forbes AI Forward Summit, where he shared the stage with former Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo.

According to Collboni, the paradox of successful cities today is that this very success can harm their inhabitants. He recalled that housing regulation falls under the jurisdiction of local councils and that the Barcelona City Council has managed to halt the rise in rents, which currently stands at €1,240 per month. Without this regulation, he estimates it would exceed €1,500.

The mayor also announced that not renewing tourist apartment licenses in 2028 will allow 10,000 homes to return to the residential market all at once. He equated this to 10 years of construction, a figure that highlights the impact of the measure on those looking for housing in the city.

“Success can turn against residents”

Hidalgo explained that during her time leading the Paris City Council, she opted for the most direct tool at her disposal: investing in and building social housing. As a result, she reported, the percentage of social housing in the city rose from 13% in 2001 to the current 25%. In her first six-year term, she allocated over €3 billion to build, renovate, and create this type of housing.

The former mayor also referred to the recent protests in France. She expressed understanding of the anxiety over changes in the world, although she does not condone violence, and warned against manipulation from other countries. Collboni, for his part, assured that they will not tolerate violence and defended that protest and criticism must have a place in democracy.