Barcelona, January 31 – A year has passed since the Barcelona City Council and the Habitat 3 foundation acquired Casa Orsola, a building in the Eixample district that became a symbol of the tenant rights movement. The pioneering purchase, aimed at preserving affordable housing, was celebrated as a victory against speculation. However, bureaucratic hurdles have left 10 of the building’s 26 apartments vacant, highlighting ongoing challenges in the regularization process.
A Year of Bureaucratic Delays and Vacant Homes
The acquisition of Casa Orsola for 9.3 million euros by the City Council and Habitat 3 followed a major mobilization that prevented the eviction of Josep Torrent, a resident. While the purchase secured the remaining tenants and added the building to the city’s housing stock, the former owner, Lioness Inversiones, profited significantly from the operation.
One year later, the existing tenants continue to pay the same rent, awaiting the completion of the horizontal division and registration of the properties under the new ownership. This process has proven technically complex, partly due to unregistered divisions made by a previous owner. The agreement stipulates that Habitat 3 will manage the entire property, with the formal agreement expected to be signed next month.
Of the 26 apartments, 10 are currently empty. Most of these became vacant after the expiration of temporary contracts, further exacerbated by the bureaucratic slowdown. The City Council acquired 11 apartments, intended for market-rate rentals at affordable prices, while Habitat 3 purchased 14 apartments, which will be converted into protected housing if they become vacant. Additionally, one apartment became vacant due to the death of a resident, and another is occupied by squatters, with an ongoing judicial process to address the lack of habitability conditions.
Tenant’s Perspective: Stability Amidst Delays
Josep Torrent, who became an involuntary protagonist in the struggle, reflects on the past year: “It has been three tough years, of uncertainty, of struggle, organizing and building community. In the end, it was worth it, although we never thought the outcome, the solution, would be what it was.” He adds, “Our homes are now owned by the City Council and the foundation; they are off the market, not managed by neoliberal logics of speculation and maximum profit at any cost. This gives us a certain stability and sense of security, but there are still hundreds of thousands of families who have to go through the same thing.” The four commercial premises in the building (a bakery, a newsstand, a laundry, and a barber shop) continue their operations.
City Council and Habitat 3 Respond
Both the City Council and Habitat 3 provided a joint written statement. They clarified that the City Council’s 11 apartments (four market rentals, six temporary, one vacant, and a mezzanine for other uses) will be rented at prices aligned with existing Casa Orsola rents, which are below the official rental price index. Habitat 3’s 14 apartments (seven with indefinite contracts and seven with expired contracts but with tenants) will become protected housing if they become vacant. Expired contracts have been tacitly renewed under the same conditions, pending the completion of administrative procedures. Indefinite contracts will be subrogated, respecting the original terms.
Regarding the vacant apartments, the City Council stated that most properties acquired by the municipality are for market-rate rentals, though always guaranteeing an affordable price. They affirmed that whether owned by the City Council or Habitat 3, the apartments will maintain their current contractual conditions. As tenants move out and new contracts are established, Habitat 3 will reclassify these apartments as official protected housing, as agreed in the financing deal with the Catalan Institute of Finance (ICF). For the currently vacant apartments, an affordable rental call will be launched to allocate them among individuals registered in the housing applicant registry.
Looking Ahead: Overcoming Bureaucracy for Affordable Housing
The Casa Orsola case underscores the complexities of converting privately owned buildings into public housing, even with significant political will and financial investment. While the initial acquisition was a landmark achievement for tenant rights in Barcelona, the slow pace of bureaucratic processes continues to delay the full realization of its intended purpose: providing stable, affordable housing for its residents and contributing to the city’s public housing stock.
The ongoing efforts to finalize the horizontal division, register the properties, and reallocate the vacant apartments are crucial next steps. The commitment from both the City Council and Habitat 3 to ensure that these homes remain accessible and protected from speculative market forces offers hope, but the speed at which these administrative hurdles are overcome will determine how quickly Casa Orsola can fully embody its role as a symbol of successful housing policy.
