Andorran Social Democrats Demand Review of Affordable Housing Eligibility

Pere Baró, acting president of the Social Democratic parliamentary group, has filed an information request with the Andorran government to determine if affordable housing access rules match families' needs in the strained rental market.

The initiative stems from the recent allocation of 44 apartments at Borda Nova I, where 36 units were assigned in the first round, leaving eight still available for a second call. Baró argues that these vacancies highlight potential mismatches between eligibility criteria and demand from those facing housing barriers.

In his request, Baró seeks comprehensive data, including total registrations on the affordable housing applicant list, numbers meeting current standards, application volumes, and reasons for exclusions. He also wants socioeconomic profiles of applicants—covering incomes, family sizes, presence of children, job situations, current accommodations, and rent burdens as a percentage of earnings.

A particular focus is on families now spending less than 30% of income on rent but at risk of surpassing that limit by 2027 due to expected increases. The Social Democrats (PS) question whether assessments rely solely on current conditions or factor in future projections, and they have asked for forecasts from the government or National Housing Institute on public housing needs through 2028, accounting for rent trends.

The filing further examines if available unit types align with applicants' household structures, requesting breakdowns of eligibility by apartment size and cases where families qualify overall but lack suitable options.

For the PS, effective public housing policy goes beyond building units to ensuring criteria and supply address real population demands. They call for analysis of the Borda Nova I shortfalls, details on the upcoming second round, and possible tweaks to access rules to avoid excluding families whose needs may evolve.

The party warns against confusing low uptake with absent demand, emphasizing that rigid rules could overlook households on the brink of hardship. "No family should face exclusion from public housing because criteria fail to reflect their present or emerging circumstances," the PS stated.