The Institut Català de Finances (ICF) has granted a loan of €2.6 million to Fundació Àuria to launch a new residential home for people with intellectual disabilities in Igualada. The organisation has begun the renovation of a landmark building in the historic centre of the municipality that will accommodate 21 residential places and will include a ground-floor space offering employment insertion services, leisure activities, training projects and a citizen support point.

The new residential home, expected to open in 2027, has been designed as a welcoming, accessible and sustainable environment, tailored to meet the specific needs of its residents and promote their autonomy. The renovation project includes the extension of the building with a second floor and the implementation of structural and technological improvements, with facilities adapted for people with reduced mobility or disabilities.

The project is committed to a community residential home model that promotes the active participation of residents in the life of the neighbourhood and the city, contributing to their inclusion.

The new residential home responds to an urgent need in the county of Anoia, where Àuria is a benchmark organisation offering housing services for adults with intellectual disabilities. With its launch, the foundation will gain a new facility, expanding its network to a total of 12 residential homes and a residential service with 97 places across different locations in Igualada.

The public development bank funding, which covers the purchase and part of the building's renovation, takes the form of an ICF Equipaments Social loan, which offers advantageous conditions, thanks to the interest rate subsidy from the Ministry of Social Rights and Inclusion, to finance acquisition, construction and renovation projects for social facilities across Catalonia.

For Àuria, this facility is not conceived as a traditional care resource, but as a home where quality of life, dignity and privacy are guaranteed, enabling residents to grow, make decisions, review their goals and feel an active part of the community. In this way, Àuria aims to bring its services closer to the city centre and meet the growing demand from many families seeking a space where their sons and daughters can access a more autonomous and independent life.