Research projects

Economic inequality among the Spanish population has increased since the 2008 crisis, with real estate being one of the key elements in explaining it. The project addresses the housing problem as one of the most complex and urgent challenges facing Spanish society. Numerous scientific studies analyse the issue of housing and the production of inequalities, although those that apply Artificial Intelligence for their predictions are still very scarce. Therefore, the general objective of this project is to carry out an innovative and holistic analysis of the housing problem in Spanish cities through the development and application of a software based on reliable AI models. The software will be transferable to other Spanish and European cities and will allow us to explore use cases and what if scenarios that help to design public policies that contribute to curb the housing crisis. The specific objectives are firstly, to rethink and theorise the role of real estate assets in the production of urban inequalities in contexts of financialisation; and secondly, to identify and analyse the weight of real estate factors and their interrelation with socioeconomic and socio-demographic factors in the processes of production of urban inequalities in contexts of financialisation through the design and application of reliable AI machine learning models

San Sebastian and Lugo are the cities proposed for the analysis, because San Sebastian is the most expensive city in Spain and Lugo the cheapest. This fact, together with their similar demographic size, implies a great potential for analysis, comparison and methodological export to other Spanish and European cities. In addition, to ensure the success of the project, we have a pioneering team in research on housing conflict in Spain and a leading team in AI and XAI. The scientific evidence derived from the project and its integration into public management can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of housing policies, responding to real needs and generating a positive impact on society.