Madrid City Council to Commence Construction of Nearly 1,000 New Public Homes in Los Berrocales This Year
Madrid, February 17, 2026 – The Madrid City Council, through the Municipal Housing and Land Company (EMVS Madrid), is reinforcing its role as a key promoter of affordable housing in the capital’s southeastern developments. This year, construction will begin on almost 1,000 new public homes in Los Berrocales, located in the Vicálvaro district.
Currently, EMVS Madrid has approximately 2,070 affordable rental homes in various stages of tender and execution within this area. Of these, 875 are directly promoted by the municipal company, while over 1,194 will be developed through the Suma Vivienda Plan, utilizing public-private collaboration formulas on municipal land. Specifically, 974 homes are part of the first phase of the Suma Vivienda Plan, whose tender concluded this year, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026. Additionally, around 220 homes are part of the plan’s second phase and are currently in the tendering process.
Socioeconomic Impact of Los Berrocales Project
These figures were announced by the Delegate for Housing Policies and President of EMVS Madrid, Álvaro González, during the presentation of the report ‘Socioeconomic Impact of the Los Berrocales Project in Madrid.’ The study, prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers at the request of the development’s compensation board, estimates that the project will generate a cumulative socioeconomic impact exceeding 12.17 billion euros on the GDP of the city and the Community of Madrid, as well as over 161,000 total jobs between 2025 and 2045, considering the urbanization, construction, and exploitation phases.
During his intervention, González highlighted that “Madrid is experiencing a moment of enormous attraction and demographic growth, with an average increase of 80,000 inhabitants per year, which forces us to respond with more housing and better neighborhoods.” In this regard, he emphasized that “a supply problem is answered with more supply, with planning, legal certainty, and public-private collaboration.”
The delegate noted that Los Berrocales is a crucial component within the new southeastern developments, which collectively will enable the construction of over 200,000 homes in the capital. Specifically, this development will feature 22,285 homes, of which more than 50% will be public protection housing, “a fundamental fact to structurally expand the supply of affordable housing and stabilize prices in the medium and long term.”
Progress and Future Phases
Stage 1 already has its urbanization completed, with 1,776 homes under construction, and the arrival of the first residents expected before next summer. Stage 3 is practically concluded, and Stage 2 will commence in June, with a building investment of 1.591 billion euros and an estimated contribution of over 36,000 jobs.
Quality of Life and Sustainable Urbanism
González stressed that “Los Berrocales is not just housing; it is a city,” by integrating contemporary urban planning solutions such as superblocks, aimed at improving environmental quality, increasing pedestrian space, and fostering more livable neighborhoods. “We do not want to grow at any cost; we want to grow well and with quality of life,” he affirmed.
Economically, the delegate praised the report for providing “data and certainty for public decision-making” and added that “when planning is executed, housing becomes a lever for employment, economic activity, and social cohesion.”
In the words of the delegate, “Los Berrocales is a declaration of intent about the city we want to build over the next 20 years: a Madrid that continues to grow, and that does so with housing, with opportunities, and with neighborhoods where people can develop their life project.”
Source: madrid.es
