Vitoria-Gasteiz moves to let empty ground-floor shops become homes, with tourist use banned outright

Vitoria-Gasteiz's government agreed on 15 October 2026 with the Elkarrekin group to pass an ordinance allowing empty ground-floor commercial premises and live-work units to be converted into homes. The city says nearly 1,000 premises could qualify. Converted homes must be the holder's habitual residence, and second-home and tourist use are expressly prohibited. Where the council or other public bodies promote a conversion, the homes go first to protected rental or rental for young people, and they can join the Basque Bizigune social-rental programme. A committee vote on the final text was set for 19 October. Zumarraga in Gipuzkoa is preparing a similar ordinance.

Mayor Maider Etxebarria called the deal "a slammed door on speculation". The design pairs a liberalisation of supply with strict use conditions, so that empty frontages become homes rather than holiday lets. The open questions are take-up, cost per home against new build, and the living quality of street-level flats.