Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of October 21, 2026, from the General Directorate of Urban Agenda and Architecture — Agreement with the Polytechnic University of Madrid |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | November 2, 2026 |
| Entry into force | November 2, 2026 |
| Agreement amount | €60,000 |
| Duration | One year from signature (final delivery expected October 2027) |
| Signatory parties | Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda — Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) |
| Purpose | Update of the report on characteristics of residential building in Spain with 2021 Census data, incorporated into the Urban Vulnerability Observatory |
| Affected parties | Public administrations, urban planners and municipalities with vulnerable areas |
| Category | Real Estate |
| BOE Reference | BOE-A-2026-22988 |
Municipalities and administrations that design urban regeneration policies will have, from October 2027 onwards, a new reference report updated with 2021 Census data. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda has formalized an agreement with the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) endowed with €60,000 to carry out this work, published in the BOE on November 2, 2026 (reference BOE-A-2026-22988).
The agreement continues a collaboration that began in 2009 and which, with this agreement, assumes the functions of the defunct Juan de Herrera Institute, now absorbed by UPM. The final result will be integrated into the Urban Vulnerability Observatory, the Ministry's tool for identifying and prioritizing disadvantaged urban areas throughout Spain.
What does this regulation establish?
The resolution publishes the text of the agreement signed between the General Directorate of Urban Agenda and Architecture and UPM. The agreement tasks the university with updating the report on the characteristics of residential building in Spain, incorporating 2021 Population and Housing Census data — the most recent available — into the Urban Vulnerability Observatory.
The key elements of the agreement are as follows:
- Purpose: Update of the report analyzing Spanish residential building with 2021 Census data.
- Amount: €60,000 charged to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda.
- Execution period: One year from the agreement signature, with final delivery expected in October 2027.
- Executor: Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), which assumes the functions of the defunct Juan de Herrera Institute.
- Destination of results: Integration into the Ministry's Urban Vulnerability Observatory.
- Applicable legal framework: The maps of deteriorated or disadvantaged urban areas required by the Land and Urban Rehabilitation Law.
- Historical continuity: The agreement extends a collaboration initiated in 2009 between the Ministry and UPM.
The resulting report will serve as a technical basis for designing urban regeneration and building rehabilitation policies at national scale, providing administrations with updated data on the actual state of the Spanish residential stock.
Economic and operational impact
For the Ministry of Housing, the direct cost of the agreement is €60,000, a relatively modest investment in budgetary terms but with significant multiplier effect: the resulting report will condition the distribution of urban regeneration funds and the prioritization of rehabilitation investments at national level.
For municipalities and local administrations, the impact is indirect but relevant: the urban vulnerability maps updated with 2021 Census data will determine which areas are eligible to receive public funding for rehabilitation and regeneration. A municipality that does not appear on these maps may be excluded from aid calls linked to the Land and Urban Rehabilitation Law.
For developers and land managers, the update of this data may result in changes in the classification of certain areas as «deteriorated urban areas», which opens or closes access to certain urban planning regimes and preferential financing.
Who does it affect?
- State and regional public administrations that design housing and urban regeneration policies.
- City councils and municipalities with vulnerable urban areas or undergoing rehabilitation.
- Urban planners and municipal technicians who develop planning and regeneration plans.
- Real estate developers and land managers active in areas likely to be classified as vulnerable.
- Consulting firms and architecture studios working on building rehabilitation projects with public funding.
- Researchers and universities that use Urban Vulnerability Observatory data as a reference source.
Practical example
A city council in a medium-sized Spanish city has identified a neighborhood with buildings constructed mainly before 1980, with low energy efficiency and high population aging rate. Currently, that neighborhood does not appear on the Urban Vulnerability Observatory maps because available data is from the 2011 Census.
With the update commissioned to UPM — which will incorporate 2021 Census data — that neighborhood could be classified as a «deteriorated urban area» in accordance with the Land and Urban Rehabilitation Law. That classification would enable it to access state and European aid calls specifically intended for vulnerable areas, something that is not currently possible due to lack of updated data.
The report will be available from October 2027 onwards, so administrations that want to get ahead should begin now to review the status of their potentially vulnerable areas with 2021 Census data.
What should administrations and planners do now?
- Review the current maps of the Urban Vulnerability Observatory to identify which areas of your municipality are already classified as vulnerable and which could change status with 2021 Census data.
- Cross 2021 Census data available from the INE with the situation of the local building stock, anticipating possible reclassifications before the UPM report is published (October 2027).
- Prepare the technical documentation needed to apply for funding in future urban regeneration calls linked to the Land and Urban Rehabilitation Law, which will be based on the new maps.
- Follow the publication of the final report expected for October 2027 through the Ministry of Housing's Urban Vulnerability Observatory, where the agreement results will be integrated.
- Coordinate with specialists and consulting firms in urban rehabilitation to assess the impact of the update on current planning plans.
Frequently asked questions
How much money does the Ministry of Housing allocate to this agreement with UPM?
The agreement is endowed with €60,000 charged to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda. This amount finances the update of the report on characteristics of residential building in Spain with 2021 Census data.
When will the updated report with 2021 Census data be available?
The agreement has a duration of one year from signature, with final delivery expected in October 2027. The results will be integrated into the Ministry of Housing's Urban Vulnerability Observatory.
What are the Urban Vulnerability Observatory data used for?
The Observatory data feeds the maps of deteriorated or disadvantaged urban areas required by the Land and Urban Rehabilitation Law. These maps are the technical basis for designing urban regeneration policies and for determining which areas are eligible for public funding in building rehabilitation.
Why does UPM assume the functions of the Juan de Herrera Institute?
The Juan de Herrera Institute, which historically had carried out this work in collaboration with the Ministry since 2009, has been dissolved. UPM, as a leading institution in architecture and urbanism, assumes its functions under this new agreement, continuing more than 15 years of collaboration.
Which municipalities or administrations should pay more attention to this update?
Mainly municipalities with aged urban areas, neighborhoods with building prior to 1980 or areas with high concentration of social vulnerability. The update with 2021 Census data may reclassify areas that previously did not appear on vulnerability maps, opening or closing access to specific public funding.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-22988
