The initiative seeks to promote repopulation in rural underpopulated areas, in order to inject life into empty areas of the region.

It is only available for homes in municipalities of less than 500 people, however, this number can reach 1,000 inhabitants in specific areas such as Terra Alta, the Priorat, Ribera d’Ebre, les Garrigues, Ripollès and in all the municipalities of the Alt Pirineu i Aran.

Financial aid will reach up to €20,000 per home if it’s already the applicant’s habitual residence at the time of the request. But, for those who want to move to a rural area and do up an empty home, the figure increases to €40,000 up to a limit of six properties.

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The Generalitat has confirmed that they will allocate €2 million in total to the plan up until 2027.

The main catch is that you can’t sell the property for 10 years after receiving the grant unless you want to risk having to pay it back. You can, however, rent it out through the social rental mediation network, in order to facilitate access to affordable housing in rural areas.

The subsidy is focused on improving key aspects of the well-being of inhabitants and respect for the environment. Therefore, the aid will cover 50 percent of the cost of the works necessary to improve the energy efficiency of the properties, as well as the repairs that ensure the basic requirements of safety, habitability and functionality of the properties.

The measure not only seeks to encourage investment in the improvement of rural housing, but also to promote construction trade and maintenance, which contribute to sustainability and the efficient use of resources.

With this programme, the Generalitat of Catalonia aims to address two of the significant challenges in rural areas – depopulation and housing deterioration.

To access these subsidies, the home must be used as the owner’s habitual and permanent residence or they must have been empty for more than two years.

Applications for the programme will be open from June 28th and you must have legal residency in Catalonia in order to be eligible.

It hasn’t been revealed yet exactly how to apply, so keep an eye on site and we’ll let you know as soon as we do.

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