According to data published by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, only 11,104 new social housing units (VPO – Viviendas de Protección Oficial) were completed in 2025, a 22.7% decrease compared to 2024. This represents a reduction of just over 3,000 homes. Despite promises from President Sánchez—who committed to building over 180,000 homes during the 2023 elections—and despite the creation of a Ministry of Housing and a consensus among different administrations on the need to promote social housing, the reality remains far from what was promised. It is also a far cry from the construction levels seen in Spain prior to the Great Financial Crisis: between 1991 and 2008, an average of nearly 60,000 protected homes were built annually.
In addition to the drop in “final qualifications” (which certify public protection status upon completion so the homes can be sold or rented), the Ministry’s data also shows an abrupt decline in “provisional qualifications” (which measure new projects starting that are typically completed in subsequent years). These fell from 23,967 in 2024 to 15,593 last year, a 35% decrease.
