Castelldefels faces housing crisis with 700 vacant flats in political dispute

The recent identification of 700 vacant homes in Castelldefels has sparked an intense debate between the local government and the opposition. The lack of action in the face of the housing access crisis is the focus of the conflict.

Castelldefels is in the midst of a political controversy following the revelation that there are 700 vacant homes that could be used to alleviate the growing housing access crisis in the city. This finding, resulting from a study commissioned by the council, has led to a struggle among local political parties, where PSC, ERC, and Movem demand immediate action while the government of PP and Som Castelldefels argues that more time is needed to verify the data. The situation is critical: rental prices in Castelldefels are among the highest in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, reaching an average of 1,228 euros per month, even higher than prices in the Catalan capital.

Although the initial report identified up to 1,276 residential properties showing clear signs of vacancy, a more detailed analysis reduced this figure to 1,115 potentially vacant homes. Of these, only about 734 would be mobilisable, which represents just 2.5% of the total local housing stock. This figure highlights the limitations in addressing the housing crisis through the mobilisation of vacant properties.

During the last municipal plenary session, a joint motion was presented by opposition groups requesting concrete measures to activate these vacant flats. However, this proposal was rejected following an amendment presented by the PP, which generated criticism regarding the local government's inaction in the face of such an urgent issue as access to decent housing.

We have not seen significant progress since this report was made public; each vacant flat represents a missed opportunity for those seeking a home.

This was the stance expressed by Eva López, spokesperson for the PSC, who emphasised that while mobilising these properties would not completely solve the housing problem, it would be a necessary step towards broader solutions. For her part, Rita Borque (ERC) stressed that “each unused vacant flat is a missed opportunity” for families and young people looking to gain independence.

Despite the social and political outcry to act in this critical situation, Marian Ortega (PP) defended that any measures must be preceded by thorough checks on the actual conditions of the vacant properties. She also reminded that many housing competences fall under the Generalitat.

However, this debate is not new; previous administrations have made unsuccessful attempts to identify and mobilise vacant homes. In recent years, following the real estate boom and its subsequent collapse, many experts have questioned whether these properties can really offer effective solutions to such a complex housing crisis.

As this year 2026 progresses without clear solutions or concrete actions from the local government regarding the identified vacant homes, citizens continue to face a challenging landscape where finding affordable rentals seems increasingly difficult. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether effective measures will finally be implemented or if this political conflict will continue to stall any progress towards necessary housing solutions.