The Government has recently approved the State Housing Plan 2018-2021. Although the media had focus on the aid for rent, especially for young people and the most vulnerable groups, there are other remarkable points.
As indicated in the plan itself, one of the objectives pursued is “to improve the quality of the building and, in particular on its conservation, energy efficiency, universal accessibility and environmental sustainability”.
The plan is endowed with 1,443 million euros, representing an increase of 62% compared to the 2013-2016 Plan (888 million euros), with forecasts of the number of funds estimated in more than 557,000. In addition, these funding will be retroactive since last 1st of January. For years, the distribution will be made as follows:
- 2018: 350 millions of euros.
- 2019: 357 millions of euros.
- 2020: 364 millions of euros.
- 2021: 372 millions of euros..
The aids destined to purchase, are only for young people buying their main residence in a locality for at least five years, in populations of less than 5,000 inhabitants and whose price does not surpass the amount of 100,000 euros, in order to combat depopulation in rural areas.
Renovation
Aware that there is a very old housing stock in Spain, the new Plan has paid attention to building renovation. This was something already in the previous plan, where the aid extended to homes built before 1981; in the 2018-2021 Plan, the limit is set in 1996, which means increasing the number of potential beneficiaries about a third, according to the Ministry of Public Works.
Regarding to the amount of the aid, it has been increased in general from 35% to 40% of the investment. On the other hand, aids can reach up to 75% in the case that the beneficiaries are people with disabilities older than 65 years or with incomes lower than 3 IPREM, thit is, the Public Indicator of Income of Multiple Effects (IPREM), which currently stands at 537.84 euros per month.
This is the first time that renovation aids includes single-family homes or even an individual housing within a building, although the rest of the block does not request aid as Owners’ Community.
Likewise, and responding to the demands of many municipalities, in the renovation and urban regeneration activities, the current deadline of three years is now extended to five.
Energy efficiency
On the other hand, the Plan has taken care of aspects related to energy efficiency and sustainability. Among the requirements to access the aids are reductions in global annual energy demand for heating and cooling by zones:
- Climatic zones D and E: 35%
- Climatic zones C: 25%
- Climatic zones alpha, A and B: 20%
The amount in the case of single-family homes can reach up to a maximum of 12,000 euros (18,000-24,000 euros for people with different degrees of disability). In the case of buildings, the grants can reach up to 8,000 euros per home and 80 euros per square meter for premises.
Deadlines
This type of aids are channeled by the Autonomous Communities, so that the period of time in which they can start to apply depends on when they open the orders. It is expected that within two or three months all the autonomous agreements will be subscribed and, therefore, the aid orders will be opened.
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