Basque Government projects new public housing in Zaldibar and Otxandio

The Basque Government has announced a new roadmap to increase the public residential housing stock in municipalities with fewer than 7,000 inhabitants. In the Durangaldea region, this includes the projection of 29 public housing units: 19 protected homes in Zaldibar and 10 residential apartments in Otxandio. These measures aim to meet the demand for affordable rentals and provide housing alternatives for young people to prevent rural depopulation.

This initiative follows long-standing challenges regarding the region's housing stock. While the Basque Country has constructed over 110,000 protected homes since 1981, historical policies focused heavily on facilitating property ownership rather than creating a permanent public rental heritage. Consequently, a significant number of previously protected homes have lost their status and entered the free market. Recent estimates suggest the protected housing stock has decreased from approximately 74,549 units in 2021 to an estimated 65,304 in 2024 due to the progressive declassification of older properties.