Home Rentals Group Takes Barcelona's STR Ban to EU Commission

11/20/2024

The European Holiday Home Association, which represents short-term rentals (STRs) on online platforms, has filed a complaint with the European Commission against the Spanish region of Catalonia for allowing cities to ban such rentals. In June, Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni announced a plan to shut down all short-term rentals by 2028, based on a regional housing decree adopted last year that leaves it up to municipalities whether to include holiday flats in their permits planning. The association said in a statement on Wednesday the new rules were "unjustified, disproportionate, and unsuitable to address overtourism and housing shortages," and that the decree had been "adopted urgently and without any period of public consultation."

Reuters (11/20/24) Corina Pons