Municipal and rentals, by Joan Tapia

The Barcelona municipal campaign is gaining strength. May 28 is getting closer every day. First there was the surprise candidacy of former mayor Xavier Trias, who presented himself as a personal (from Trias) but who has the entire old convergent space behind him. From Jordi Pujol… to Puigdemont. And that indicates that many -even Puigdemont, who does not want to be confused with Laura Borràs- long for the respectability of the old CDC. Barcelona was not his stronghold, but Trias…

Jaume Collboni, the PSC candidate, has reacted by seeking to expand his space. First it was the signing of Lluís Rabell, a man from the neighborhood associations that in 2015 he was the candidate for the Generalitat of the coalition that presented itself to the left of the PSC and that came from the ICV and Colauism. He later incorporated Maria Eugènia Gay, former dean of the Col.legi d’Advocats and current Government Delegate in Catalonia, as number two. Collboni bets on his team (Laia Bonet, Albert Batlle), but opening it more to neighborhoods and social-liberal professionals.

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On Sunday, Maria Eugènia Gay raised, in EL PERIÓDICO, the level of criticism of Colau: “The investment of 1,100 million euros in the ‘superilles’ when the housing problem has not been resolved It is irresponsible & rdquor ;. It demanded an “orderly, friendly and sustainable urbanism & rdquor; and added: “We have exorbitant prices along with a non-existent housing offer… The measures adopted have meant that new construction is no longer being built& rdquor ;.

It is so. Last Monday I insisted on something essential: the main cause of excessive rental prices is the low supply of housing. Eurostat data proves it. In Spain, only 24% of families live in rent, compared to an average of 34%, 10 points more, in the euro zone. AND well below Denmark (41%) and Germany (51%). In order to have reasonable rents, it is not necessary to control prices administratively (it can discourage supply), but to promote the construction of rental housing.

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