Barcelona’s Housing Crisis: Half of Caritas-Assisted Families Live in Sublet Rooms
Barcelona, June 4, 2026 – The housing crisis continues to be a major driver of social exclusion in Barcelona and its metropolitan area, according to the 2025 report from Caritas Diocesana de Barcelona. The report reveals that up to 48,000 individuals assisted by the charity last year lacked dignified housing, with over 30,000 (48%) residing in sublet rooms. Furthermore, 13% of those assisted were homeless, marking a five-percentage-point increase from 2024.
Eduard Sala, director of Caritas Diocesana de Barcelona, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “We have been calling for urgent measures to guarantee access to dignified housing for decades.” Sala particularly highlighted the issue of homelessness and urged political groups to reach an agreement on the Law for the Eradication of Homelessness, which is currently in its final stages of parliamentary approval. “We cannot allow another legislature to end without approving it,” Sala stressed.
Compounding Vulnerabilities: Unemployment, Irregular Status, and Social Isolation
The report also sheds light on other significant social vulnerabilities. Four out of ten households assisted by Caritas have children, and almost two out of ten are headed by single mothers. A striking eight out of ten individuals seeking help from Caritas are either unemployed or working in the informal economy.
A major contributing factor to this employment precariousness is the fact that 55% of the individuals assisted are in an irregular immigration situation. Caritas Diocesana de Barcelona is registered as a collaborator with the immigration authorities and provides legal advice to those seeking regularization. The charity has established nine legal advisory points across six cities, staffed by 105 volunteers and employees. To date, they have supported over 3,000 migrants in their regularization process, although only 1,600 applications have been processed.
Director Sala expressed concern over difficulties in obtaining documentation from countries of origin and a lack of fluid communication with the administration. He also lamented the invisibility of minors, who represent 26% of the cases they have accompanied, in the regularization process.
Social isolation has emerged as another growing risk factor. According to Sala, the percentage of individuals lacking sufficient community networks and experiencing loneliness has doubled from 8% in 2018 to 16% in 2024.
Cardinal Joan Josep Omella, addressing the issue, called for a broader perspective, referencing the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Spain. Citing the Pontiff’s latest encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” Omella urged to “adopt the perspective of the victims and the poor” and “look them in the eye” to provide effective assistance.
Caritas’s Impact: Preventing Homelessness and Providing Support
Despite the challenges, Caritas’s social action has made a significant impact. Amèlia de Juan, head of advocacy for the organization, reported that 10,500 individuals expanded their social networks through community projects and relational spaces initiated by Caritas last year. In 2025, Caritas provided aid for basic expenses to 10,872 people and prevented 3,200 individuals from becoming homeless. Additionally, 1,550 people found employment, and 2,500 received legal support for various administrative procedures.
In total, 63,525 individuals from 27,843 households received assistance through Caritas Diocesana de Barcelona’s 167 parishes.
Source: https://www.elperiodico.com/es/sociedad/20260604/mitad-familias-atendidas-caritas-barcelona-pobreza-habitaciones-realquiladas-131014246
