Beyond bandages: Towards a European Affordable Housing Plan that is fair and sustainable
Alongside a group of social and environmental NGOs active on housing, we have written a joint statement on the European Affordable Housing Plan (EAHP). Our statement is calling for the EAHP to focus on integrated and holistic solutions that deliver for people and the planet. The Commission is currently preparing the Plan and is expected to publish it by the end of the year. Download our joint statement to find out why and what we are calling for.
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Young people have had to put up with the worst of the housing crisis. The European Affordable Housing Plan (EAHP) presents a real opportunity to make a difference and confront the crisis of affordability and quality head on.
Between 2010 and the first quarter of 2025, house prices in the EU increased by 57.9% and rents by 27.8%; 17% of Europeans live in overcrowded conditions, and around 1.27 million face homelessness. With 70% of homes in Europe being energy inefficient, 1 in 10 Europeans is unable to keep their homes adequately warm. At the same time, the building sector remains the most environmentally impactful sector within the EU, as almost one-third of the Europe’s footprint comes from buildings.
We are calling for the EAHP to:
- Be grounded in a principle of reinvesting in and expanding social housing as an essential public infrastructure.
- Promote housing affordability through a complementary mix of diverse housing models and tenure types, as well as better regulation of the private rental market.
- Leverage the potential of vacant and under-occupied buildings and spaces to avoid wasting already built square footage and revitalise neighbourhoods while creating new homes.
- Promote high-quality, circular, energy efficient and decarbonised buildings through an ambitious and fast implementation of building policies rooted in community ownership, with strong social safeguards to protect and support vulnerable households in new and existing dwellings.
- Assess existing EU policies that may undermine affordable and sustainable housing goals and align broader EU policy frameworks with the goal of ensuring affordable, accessible and adequate housing for all.
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