The public bank of Catalonia grants a loan of 11 million euros to the Rubau Group to promote the first social housing development to be built in the municipality of El Baix Penedès since 1982.
The Catalan Institute of Finance (ICF) has financed the construction of 110 affordable rental homes in Calafell. The public development bank of the Generalitat de Catalunya has granted a loan of 11 million euros to the Rubau Group for the construction of the first social housing development to be promoted in the municipality of El Baix Penedès since 1982.
The two buildings of 55 homes are being erected between Priorat and Jaume Pallarès streets, halfway between the town and beach centres, and are expected to be completed in June 2026. The blocks will have an A energy efficiency certificate and will have photovoltaic installations in order to reduce their environmental impact, as well as the electricity expenditure of resident families.
Of the 110 homes, all will have a parking space, 72 will have two bedrooms and a total of 56 m² of useful space and the remaining 38 will be three-bedroom and will have between 73 and 80 m² of useful space. Those interested in opting for one of these flats must register in the housing pool of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the City Council of Calafell or the region of El Baix Penedès.
Sogeviso, a subsidiary of Banc Sabadell, collaborates with Rubau as a rental manager, contributing its experience of socially responsible management, although it will be the council that will study each case to decide who can opt for these homes through a public tender in which registered people will have priority.
An example of public-private collaboration to improve access to housing
In 2022, the Calafell City Council awarded the construction company Rubau, through its company Llogueralia, the public tender for a surface right of 5,000 m² for the construction of the homes, as well as the maintenance and repairs required during a concession period of 75 years. Once this period has expired, the flats will become part of the council's housing stock.
The ICF has financed the project through an ICF Habitatge Social Promoció loan of 11 million euros with advantageous conditions that has an interest rate subsidy from the Housing Agency of Catalonia. The total investment, of 14.9 million euros, has been completed with investment aid through the European Next Generation funds, as well as with the Rubau group's own funds. This development is an example of public-private collaboration to make a project of this dimension possible.
"The priority of the ICF is that no social housing development in Catalonia is left undone due to lack of funding. We are standing by developers, foundations, city councils and cooperatives to multiply the stock of protected housing and guarantee access to a home for the thousands of people who are in a situation of vulnerability," explained the CEO of the ICF, Vanessa Servera i Planas.
In total, the ICF has made possible 4,971 social rental homes in Catalonia since 2018, financing social housing's acquisition and development projects with a total of 384 million euros. This is indicated by the latest data collected by the financial institution of the Generalitat.
For his part, the mayor of Calafell, Ramon Ferré i Solé, has described the project as "historic", given that public housing has not been built in the municipality for 42 years. "Many people will finally be able to access decent housing, with an affordable rent according to their possibilities. These are families with children, single people, single-parent families, the elderly, young people and couples who want to emancipate themselves... We are facing a first-rate social policy," he added.
Miguel Jurado, CEO of Grupo Rubau, says that "the project is a clear example of Rubau's commitment to the promotion of affordable rental housing that responds to the difficulties of access to a home that citizens have today. Having directed our strategy of diversifying our business areas towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) makes us proud and defines us as a socially committed company. The one in Calafell, together with the project we have, also in the execution phase, with the City Council of Reus, for the promotion, construction and management of 132 social rental homes, are two success stories that show the need for public-private collaborations to face the future challenges that we face as a society".