Barcelona Authorities Plan to Ban Tourist Apartment Rentals
After numerous protests from locals, authorities in Barcelona are considering banning the rental of apartments for hotel purposes.
10 thousand homes could be taken out of the tourist market. However, not everyone agrees with the plan, which would address the housing crisis facing the city. Nearly 26 million people visited the Catalan city just last year. Many of them stayed in rented apartments. However, the city council is now planning to ban the rental of homes for hotel purposes.
Laia Bonet, deputy mayor, stated: “In Barcelona, we have 10,000 homes that, when they were built, were intended for residential use, for a family to live in them, and today they are meeting the needs and demands of the city’s visitors.” In the last decade, apartment prices in Barcelona have increased by an average of 38%.
Rents have also increased by 68%, according to local authorities.
The Impact of Tourist Apartments on Local Residents
Local residents have been protesting against the increasing number of tourists, who have caused this trend, sometimes even resorting to violence. Esther Roset, a resident affected by tourist apartments in her building, shared her concerns: “In recent years, it has been a disaster since they rented out apartments to tourists without asking the neighbors and without the property manager informing us. Then the tourists moved in, and as time went by, the situation worsened, we saw everything.”
On the other hand, those who rent out apartments as hotels promise to challenge the plan, arguing that tourists will have nowhere to stay. In 2023, nearly 2.5 million visitors rented homes in the area. Marian Muro, CEO of Apartur, stated: “If these 10,000 apartments are eliminated, the city will have a big problem with accommodation, especially for hosting certain types of events that require many available rooms.”
The Impact of Short-Term Rental Regulations in Barcelona
Running a company that manages 52 apartments near the beach in Barcelona, Bonaventura Durall, a representative of Durlet Apartments, expressed concerns about the new regulations. He believes that the measures taken are populist and will not solve the housing issue as promised. He argues that it is unfair to those who have invested, created jobs, paid taxes, and made plans for the future, only to have them taken away.
Critics of the new regulations fear that it will lead to a black market for short-term rentals. Moreover, there are worries that the demand for long-term housing will not be met, especially considering studies indicating that Barcelona needs an additional 60,000 apartments.
It remains to be seen how these regulations will affect the rental market in Barcelona and whether they will address the housing shortage effectively.
The qualification of David Popovici in the final of the 200-meter freestyle event
In three words, David Popovici’s performance in the 200-meter freestyle event can be described as exceptional, impressive, and promising. His qualification for the final demonstrates his talent, dedication, and hard work in the sport of swimming.
Popovici’s remarkable speed and technique in the water have earned him a well-deserved spot in the final race, where he will compete against the best swimmers in the world. His determination and focus during the qualifying rounds have shown that he is a force to be reckoned with in the pool.
As fans eagerly await the final race, there is no doubt that David Popovici will give it his all and strive for excellence in every stroke. His performance in the final will undoubtedly be one to remember, solidifying his status as a rising star in the world of swimming.
