Spain’s Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez recently presented the government’s plans for a new public housing department, which will be known as Casa 47. Here’s what you need to know about how it will work, including who is eligible.
The new Casa 47 department will replace the current body responsible for managing public policies and aims to provide another solution to the housing crisis and reinforce housing as the fifth pillar of the welfare state.
It has been named Casa 47, referring to Article 47 of the Spanish Constitution which states: “All Spaniards have the right to enjoy decent and adequate housing. The public authorities shall promote the necessary conditions and establish the relevant regulations to make this right effective, regulating land use in accordance with the general interest to prevent speculation.”
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The main point of the new department will be to focus on affordability so that more people can afford decent housing. All public housing designated for social rental will now be managed by this one department, which will aid and support those who meet the eligibility requirements throughout the whole rental process.
Contracts will be issued for this type of social housing will be issued for up to 75 years, with an initial 14-year period, followed by automatic renewals every seven years, provided that tenants are still eligible and meet the criteria
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How much will the government’s new social housing cost?
Rental prices will not exceed 30 percent of tenants’ salaries, the threshold established by the State Housing Law for affordable rent. The calculation will be based on the average salary in each region and adjusted accordingly. Rodríguez gave an example for Málaga, saying monthly rents for this type of social housing there will be around €690.
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Who will be eligible?
The primary requirement for those wanting to access the public housing will be income based. Applicants must have an income between 2 and 7.5 times the IPREM, which is currently €600 per month. This means the income range will be between €16,800 and €63,000 per year.
The ministry believes that this model will allow them to reach “up to 60 percent of the population” who have difficulty accessing affordable homes.
Those with incomes below €16,800 per year will also be supported through other social housing.
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How many properties will be under this government scheme?
Currently the state owns 45,000 rental properties in Spain and another 55,000 are expected to be constructed.
Of those that already exist, around 14,000 of them are located in Catalonia, 1,300 in Madrid capital, 3,500 in Valencia and 4,500 in Andalusia.
The department also plans to manage urban development projects in Seville, Ibiza, and Valencia, and plans to launch others in Málaga and Madrid as soon as it obtains municipal approval.
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Rodríguez also announced that the government has put out a public tender for €100 million to increase the public housing stock. With this, they aim to prevent speculation, as well as land and public resources from ending up in the hands of private companies or individuals.
“We have found the legal mechanisms so that everything built by the state housing entity will be public forever,” Rodríguez confirmed.
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How can I apply for this state-owned housing?
In 2026, an online portal will launch where residents can check availability in their area, check requirements and formalise the applications.
