 The impact of the 2023 housing law on rental prices in Catalonia: an empirical analysis using differences-in-differencesFernando Pinto Hernández, Isabel Rodríguez Iglesias and Ana María Moreno Adalid International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, 2025, vol. 19, issue 3, 619-636 Abstract: ="abstract-subheading">PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess whether Catalonia’s 2023 Housing Law, aimed at controlling rental prices in high-demand areas like Barcelona, successfully reduced rental prices. By comparing pre- and post-policy trends in Catalonia with those of other Spanish regions, the study seeks to determine the effectiveness of the policy in achieving its stated objectives while accounting for external economic factors.="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a Differences-in-Differences methodology to evaluate the impact of Catalonia’s 2023 Housing Law on rental prices. Catalonia is treated as the experimental group, while other Spanish regions serve as the control. The model accounts for macroeconomic variables such as gross domestic product (GDP) and inflation and uses administrative data on actual rental prices to ensure precision. The approach allows for a robust analysis of whether the rent control policy effectively influenced rental price trends compared to the control regions.="abstract-subheading">FindingsThe findings suggest that while rental prices in Catalonia experienced a slight decline following the implementation of the 2023 Housing Law, the reduction was not statistically significant compared to other regions. Macroeconomic factors, particularly GDP growth and housing supply, played a more substantial role in shaping rental price trends than the rent control measure itself.="abstract-subheading">Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis is limited by the short post-treatment period (2023 to 2024), which may not fully capture the law’s long-term effects. Future research should extend the timeframe and investigate additional outcomes, such as housing quality, tenant mobility and broader socioeconomic impacts.="abstract-subheading">Practical implicationsThe study highlights that rent control measures alone may not be sufficient to reduce rental prices in high-demand areas. Policymakers should integrate rent control with strategies to increase housing supply, such as incentives for new construction and urban planning improvements, to ensure sustained affordability.="abstract-subheading">Social implicationsRent control policies may provide short-term relief for tenants but risk being ineffective in the absence of a sufficient housing supply. A comprehensive policy approach is necessary to achieve long-term affordability, particularly for low- and middle-income households in high-demand urban areas.="abstract-subheading">Originality/valueThis paper offers empirical evidence on the limited impact of Catalonia’s 2023 Housing Law, emphasizing the importance of addressing structural issues like housing supply in conjunction with rent control policies. The study contributes to the ongoing debate on housing affordability and provides valuable insights for urban policymakers. Keywords: Rental control; Catalonia; Housing law 2023; Differences-in-differences; Rental prices; Housing affordability; Economic impact; Housing policy (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:ijhmap:ijhma-10-2024-0160 DOI: 10.1108/IJHMA-10-2024-0160 Access Statistics for this article International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis is currently edited by Dr Richard Reed More articles in International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis from Emerald Group Publishing Limited |
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