La Marina del Prat Vermell in Barcelona, where 125 units will be developed
Habitatge Metròpolis Barcelona (HMB) is the entity through which the Catalan capital and its metropolitan area’s Ayuntamiento (municipality) intend to develop a 4.500 affordable housing rental stock within ten years.
In order to develop this stock, the Metropolitan Council launched a tender to find a private partner and after receiving several bids from multiple companies, the alliance formed by Cevasa and Neinor was selected as the winning bid, surpassing its rival Visoren.
As explained by AMB itself, both bids had reached 58 million euro, out of which they would have to advance 12 million euro to initiate stage one.
After that, they would have 3% of the total value of each development – terrain not included – and 6% of the net rents. Nevertheless, listed companies rejected paying preferred dividends, despite the tender including it from 5% upwards for a maximum period of 15 years.
Neinor and Cevasa will provide 50% of the capital, whereas the Barcelona Municipality and the AMB will contribute with 25% each. Henceforth, starts a one month deadline for the «best placed bidder to present the necessary documentation to formalise the adjudication, which will end with the society’s capital increase», informed AMB.
4.500 dwellings Plan
With the resolution of the process, ends the first step to reach the final goal: to build at least 4.500 dwellings during the next few years, of which, 2.250 units will be constructed in the city of Barcelona and the remaining 2.250 in the other municipalities which are part of the Metropolitan area. In order to achieve this, the three partners will bring in a social capital of more than 103 million euro.
The calendar for the development of this project has been divided in four stages. The first stage includes the construction of 640 dwellings. Out of those, 125 units will be developed in two plots of land at the La Marina del Prat Vermell in Barcelona; 106 units in a parcel in La Sagrera; 112 in a terrain in Casernes de Sant Andreu; 110 units in Saló, central de Sant Boi de Llobregat; 130 in two plots of land located in Turó del Sastre de Montgat and, lastly, 57 units in La Catalana de Sant Adrià de Besòs.
According to AMB, floors will be adjudicated in accordance with the usual mechanisms used by public administrations. The tenants will pay the current VPO (Vivienda de Protección Oficial – Officially Protected Housing) rental prices at each moment, which currently is a maximum of 8.95 € per sqm. In terms of people who face difficulties paying their rental due to socio-economic reasons, administrations will be able to subsidize the fees.