Barcelona launches HOWS Barcelona, a new congress on urban and affordable housing

BARCELONA, Spain, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- HOWS Barcelona – Housing World Summit  , the new international congress on urban and affordable housing, will take place from 3 to 5 November at the Gran Via venue as part of Smart City Expo World Congress. The summit, which aims to lead the international debate on housing, one of the most pressing challenges facing cities today, is promoted by Barcelona City Council and organized by Fira de Barcelona. It will feature a three-day program with 20 sessions and over 100 speakers.

HOWS Barcelona will bring together all the stakeholders with the capacity to transform the housing sector, both nationally and internationally, including cities, housing providers, urban professionals, third sector and non-profit organizations, real estate developers, investors and academia. The event aims to become a leading platform for debate and innovation in urban housing, fostering solutions to the major challenges of contemporary housing.

The congress program will focus on five key themes: Urban Planning & Land Policy as tools to increase housing supply; Housing Regulation to deliver public and affordable housing; Building Innovation as a driver for accelerating housing delivery; Renovation, Retrofit & Reuse to improve the quality, and Social and Affordable Housing to drive a sustainable housing stock; and financing mechanisms to enable housing development and investment.

High-level summits

Additionally, HOWS Barcelona will host a series of high-level activities designed to strengthen political dialogue, international cooperation and the exchange of experiences between cities. These initiatives provide a meeting point for political leaders, mayors and housing policymakers to share best practices, explore common solutions and foster collaboration among cities.

The congress will also hold the Housing Mayors Meeting, a closed-door working session bringing together mayors and senior housing officials from international cities, as well as the Housing Mayors Roundtable, an open discussion featuring mayors and global urban leaders.

The Barcelona Housing and Renovation Forum (FHAR) into its program. Previously held as a standalone event over four editions, the forum will provide an opportunity to explore key issues such as expanding the supply of public housing, renovating both public and private housing stock, and housing market regulation.

HOWS is supported by the Government of Catalonia, the Spanish Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, the European Union, and is held in collaboration with organizations and institutions including the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), the European Investment Bank (EIB), C40 Cities, UN-Habitat, and Metropolis.