The mayor of Castelló, Begoña Carrasco, announced today, during the State of the City Debate, 34 new initiatives that place housing, renaturalization, and tax reduction among the municipal government's top priorities. Furthermore, she set deadlines for the completion of initiated projects aimed at consolidating the city's third economic and social transformation.
All of this will be accompanied by a new tax cut. In 2027, the City Council will reduce the IBI (Property Tax) by another 2%, completing a 10% reduction during the term.
“"Castelló is a better city"
Carrasco stated that “Castelló today is a better city” and that “objective data allows us, with humility, to affirm that Castelló has progressed”. She highlighted that 90% of her government's agreement points are executed or underway, and that the city has grown in population, infrastructure, services, and employment, moving firmly towards the future.
The mayor defended that one of the legislature's main achievements has been “returning to the residents the pride of being and feeling from Castelló, of living in a city with a very high quality of life that firmly looks towards its next goals”. She also emphasized that Castelló “is once again acting as a capital” and is a benchmark both within and outside its municipal term, aspiring to gain prominence in the Mediterranean axis.
Housing is positioned as one of the municipal government's top priorities, with a strategy combining the creation of new supply, the promotion of protected housing, rent subsidies, and rehabilitation. The City Council plans to access European funds to become a developer of up to 250 homes. Additionally, six urban sectors will allow for the development of over 4,000 homes, 40% of which will be social housing (VPO). 123 public VPO homes are planned in Sensal, the municipal social housing stock will be expanded by 17 properties, and the first youth rent subsidies, endowed with 400,000 euros, have been launched. The Neighborhood Plan allocates 17 million euros to climatically condition over 500 homes and improve public squares. An anti-squatting office will be launched before the end of the term.
Renaturalization is the second major priority, aiming to expand green infrastructure and improve urban spaces. The Censal Parc project envisions an urban forest of 122,000 square meters with an initial investment of 7 million euros. The courtyards of 18 schools will be transformed into climate oases (2 million euros), and shading plans will be installed. Castelló already has 36 climate oases in public buildings and nearly 200 fountains. Ribalta Park will receive 200,000 euros to improve its furniture and replant species. Green commercial corridors will be created, along with the city's first green roof in Santa Clara square. An agreement with the United Nations for sustainable urban architecture is planned, and the Grau to Magdalena Green Route will become a new cycle-pedestrian axis.
The third priority is reducing tax pressure. The IBI will decrease by another 2% in 2027, totaling a 10% reduction over the term. The terrace tax will remain uncharged, and other taxes will be frozen. Users who recycle the most will benefit from a rebate on their waste collection fee. Castelló has been ranked as the city with the greatest economic freedom in Spain in 2026, according to the ILECE Foundation.
Major projects such as the Central Market (10 million euros, expected by early 2027), the Manzana Albinegra (October), and the recovery of La Pérgola (end of year, 1.6 million euros) continue to advance. Reforms have been carried out on Ferrandis Salvador avenue (4 million euros) and the Ribera del Riu Sec green zone. The 5.0 Library will open on September 24th. The Low Emission Zone has led to the renovation of over 40 streets. The left bank of the Riu Sec will be asphalted, and a public and free parking shock plan will be implemented.
Castelló reaches 192,000 inhabitants and over 105,000 employed, with an unemployment rate close to 9%. The City Council maintains employment plans and investment support. Citizen participation will be strengthened, using the Censal Parc model for the future Rex Cultural Center.
Neighborhood cleaning services will be improved with a 12% increase in the contract, new machinery, and technology. The gardening contract will also be reinforced. The Borrull building will centralize Social Services and Equality, and the ground floor of the emblematic Post Office building will be opened to citizens in February.
Before the end of the year, works will begin on the third phase of the Renfe station car park (1.23 million euros), which will expand the Jaume I schoolyard. The regional government has the land for the new IES Cremor. The Cervantes school will be renovated, and a new Bisbe Climent will be built. Schools receive over one million euros annually from the City Council for maintenance.
Castelló's first Mental Health Plan will be launched before the end of the year, along with the first Shock Plan against Unwanted Loneliness. UNED Senior resources will be expanded, and new spaces for young people will be sought with a second Youth Center (Casal Jove) in the city.
In terms of security, the City Council has ended interim situations in the Firefighters' staff, and 34 Local Police positions are planned to be announced, aiming to exceed 300 officers.
Commerce will continue to receive specific support measures. The City Council will promote leisure and cultural programming to encourage public presence in downtown streets and will renew the investment of eight hundred thousand euros in commercial vouchers this year to boost sales.
In sports, the City Council has invested 2 million euros in improving Castalia stadium and has renovated the turf of three football fields in the Gaetà Huguet and Chencho facilities. The expansion of the Chencho complex and the recovery of the Federative Fields are planned.
Strategic projects such as the ring road are progressing. The expansion of industrial land through Logistics and the tram to the beach continue. The new General Hospital, with a planned tender exceeding 400 million euros, will be presented on September 22nd.
