EIB provides €113m loan for social housing in Barcelona

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing Barcelona City Council, through its Municipal Institute for Housing and Renovation (IMHAB), with a €113 mln loan. 

Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni, EIB Vice President Ioannis Tsakiris

This funding will be used to construct 640 new public, social, and sustainable rental housing units, benefiting approximately 2,040 people, mainly women, between 2026 and 2030.
These new homes will meet high energy efficiency standards and include specific design features for accessibility and safety, particularly for women. The project aims to expand Barcelona's public housing stock, address urgent housing needs, promote social inclusion, and revitalize urban areas.
The signing of this agreement took place during a housing innovation conference in Barcelona, where the EIB also promoted its new Housing TechEU initiative. This latest loan continues a long-standing partnership, with the EIB having previously financed about 2,308 social housing units through IMHAB.
Nadia Calviño, president of the EIB Group, said: “The agreement between the EIB and Barcelona reinforces our commitment to tackling housing challenges in the city. One out of every four euros invested by the EIB in Catalonia this year has been allocated to housing, with a special focus on young people. This demonstrates the real impact of collaboration between institutions and European funding in improving people's lives.” 
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni commented: “The agreement signed with the EIB “is another step towards accelerating the construction of public housing in Barcelona. Collaboration between administrations at all levels, and particularly with European institutions, is essential to guarantee the right to stay in Barcelona. We need all possible actors to tackle the housing crisis.”
Ioannis Tsakiris, vice president of the EIB, added: “Barcelona is a dynamic European city, facing rapidly growing housing needs. With this project, we are ensuring that more people especially women and vulnerable families gain access to homes that are both affordable and energy-efficient. Through Housing TechEU, the EIB is also helping innovation in the housing sector scale up so cities can build better homes and more homes, faster and at lower cost.”
This initiative is part of the EIB’s broader Housing Action Plan, which seeks to increase financing for affordable and sustainable housing across Europe to over €4 bn by 2025.
The project signed with the IMHAB is a strong contributor to EIB Group’s climate action and social infrastructure objectives set out in the Group’s Strategic Roadmap for 2024-2027 and the Climate Bank Roadmap Phase 2 for 2026-2030.