The city of Barcelona, located in northeastern Spain, plans to ban vacation rentals by the end of 2028, in a cautious move aimed at addressing the acute shortage of housing the city is facing.

Barcelona Mayor Jaume Colboni said that all apartments currently legally rented to tourists for short-term stays will then be available for use by residents.

At a press conference, Colboni stated, “As of 2029, Barcelona will no longer have vacation rentals as we know them today. This will allow us to put 10,000 homes on the rental or sales market.”

The Socialist politician emphasized that this would “be equivalent to building 10,000 apartments.”

The mayor noted that rental prices in Barcelona—the capital of the Catalonia region—have risen by about 70% over the past ten years, while purchase prices have risen by about 40%.

He added that the City Council therefore felt compelled to take drastic measures by decree to ensure access to affordable housing; consequently, current leases will not be renewed once they expire.