Protected housing Is growing: is it enough to curb the deficit?
Protected housing is on the rise and has become one of the major social and economic challenges in our country. After more than a decade of limited development, 2024 marked a turning point with a 62% increase in the number of officially designated protected homes compared to the previous year. This volume—reaching levels not seen since 2014—reflects renewed public and institutional interest in easing residential stress. However, the gap between available supply and the actual needs of households remains vast, affecting both the real estate market’s evolution and opportunities for social investment.
A historic rebound with a persistent deficit
CBRE data confirms that 14,371 protected homes were designated in 2024, the highest figure in the past decade and more than double the nearly 5,000 units recorded at the 2017 low point. This volume signals a shift in trend after years of historic lows, mainly driven by the activation of public programs and institutional investment.
Nonetheless, this level of production falls far short of pre-financial-crisis standards. In 2008, over 68,000 protected homes were delivered annually—a figure that starkly contrasts with the current situation. In relative terms, protected housing has declined from accounting for 30% of all completed homes in 2014 to just 14% in 2024, a drop that highlights the scale of the structural gap persisting for over a decade. It is still insufficient to balance available supply with the formation of new households.
An uneven landscape: the territorial concentration of affordable housing
Despite the rebound in protected housing in 2024, a significant structural deficit remains—and it is not evenly distributed. Growth has been concentrated in areas facing the greatest geographic pressure and unmet demand. In 2024, the Community of Madrid led the way, accounting for 47% of all designated homes (nearly 6,800 units), followed by the Basque Country (14%) and Catalonia (13%). Together, these three regions accounted for approximately 74% of national production.
At the other end of the spectrum, regions such as La Rioja, Murcia, and Cantabria recorded no new protected homes, while Galicia reported just five units. This territorial imbalance shows that demographic pressure, land availability, and administrative efficiency are key factors in promoting such projects.
The pillars of protected housing
Beyond this geographic concentration, tenure arrangements continue to show a clear dominance of ownership over affordable rental options. Even though most of the unmet demand focuses on rental housing, the majority of new developments still lean toward ownership.
In 2024, only 26% of designated homes were allocated to rental without the option to buy, while the remainder were part of ownership schemes or mixed models such as cooperatives or use-transfer arrangements. This pattern aligns with Spain’s residential tradition, where approximately 73% of households are homeowners. However, it hinders the consolidation of a sufficient and stable social rental stock capable of easing demand pressure in major urban centers.
Last year’s rebound would not have been possible without European funding and national programs. Among the most important initiatives are the 2022–2025 State Housing Plan, which mobilizes direct aid and regional co-financing, and the Affordable Rental Housing Plan (PVAA), which aims to provide up to 184,000 affordable homes, more than 80,000 of which were underway by the end of August 2024. These instruments are further supported by Next Generation EU funds, which finance both new developments and energy-efficient renovation projects.
Crowdfunding: a strategic channel to boost affordable housing finance
In this context, crowdfunding is emerging as a strategic channel for mobilizing private capital toward socially impactful projects that help expand the supply of protected housing. Platforms such as Urbanitae have played a significant role in this effort. Since its founding in 2018, Urbanitae has financed X projects comprising more than X protected homes in various regions across Spain.
Among the most notable are the Dante Building in Entrenúcleos (Seville), featuring 260 officially protected homes with 1, 2, 3, and 4 bedrooms, 10 commercial units, and 18 office spaces; Green Village in Benalmádena (Málaga), a project with 344 publicly protected homes under a limited-price regime; and Ribera del Pinar in Navalcarnero (Madrid), which includes 248 protected units and extensive communal areas with a swimming pool, courtyard, and private garden.
