Vienna has its first green hydrogen plant
The facility will be able to power 60 buses daily
The local government passed a regulation that declares the city – a ‘tense housing market area’
Last week, the Barcelona City Council approved the renewal of a legal declaration that marks the city as a ‘tense housing market area’. The argument is that this is a necessary act, and one within the framework of Law 11/2020 approved by the Parliament of Catalonia, given the difficult economic conditions in the wake of the COVID pandemic and the housing shortages. The new regulation is set to enter in force from September and remain for five years.
The Catalonian Law on rental regulations was adopted last summer and it states that one year after coming into force municipalities must apply, again, if they want to continue as being defined as tense housing market areas. Provided that this status is extended the local administrations have to continue to apply the existing measures on rental regulations.
In this sense, Barcelona meets the two requirements provided by the law in order to be able to make this declaration: the burden on the family budget to pay the rent is more than 30% of its income and the price increase exceeds the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Here it is also necessary to clarify that this status is particularly important for Barcelona since it is one of the Spanish cities with the highest share of its residents living in rented accommodation.
According to statistics, close to one-third of the Catalonian capital’s inhabitants pay rent. Furthermore, rental prices have risen by 31% between 2015 and 2020 making affordable housing an impossibility for many.
In this sense, the commitment of the City Council, the economic data of falling disposable family income and the growth of unemployment due to the crisis caused by the ongoing pandemic have motivated this declaration to be valid for five years, the maximum period provided by the law.
From September onwards, the reference price when signing a new rental contract will be formed by comparing the price of the previous contract and 95% of what is indicated in the reference price index of the Government of Catalonia, taking the lower of the two.
In addition, and unlike last year, there will be a reduction of 5% of the reference price according to the Government's price index and homes with a usable area higher than 150 m2 will also benefit from this regulation of rental contracts.
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
The previous mayor was forced out of office following a no-confidence vote in the city council
Modern traffic lights do more than regulate the flow of vehicles at crossroads, they also collect enormous amounts of data
The facility will replace the need to have water supplied by tankers from Valencia
Modern traffic lights do more than regulate the flow of vehicles at crossroads, they also collect enormous amounts of data
The German Aerospace Center in Cologne is looking for volunteers for its next bed rest study
The facility will replace the need to have water supplied by tankers from Valencia
The intervention has affected the mountainous districts of the Catalan capital
Two million euros will go towards the effort that will try to refresh its original splendour
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
The project aims to urge pedestrians to live even healthier lives
The blaze has been dubbed the Danish capital’s own “Notre Dame” tragedy
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team