Report from the recent World Habitat Peer Exchange
"There is no project that didn't succeed because of lack of finance, it's usually because of people." These are the words of Andreas Hofer, one of the founding members of Mehr als Wohnen housing cooperative in Zurich. This was his reply to concerns raised by a few of the participants at the recent World Habitat Peer Exchange about the financial struggle they’ve had setting up housing cooperatives in their own countries. Andreas's point is that people can accomplish anything by working together. And that's exactly what they've done at Mehr als Wohnen (More than Housing).
The launch of a new housing strategy by the French government in September 2017 triggered a showdown with the social housing providers. Virginie Toussain, Union Sociale pour l' Habitat (USH) EU Delegation Legal Adviser presents the current state of play.
Housing and culture as drivers of urban transformation
A field visit to inspiring initiatives in North Rhine-Westphalia
Housing Europe Communications Director, Michalis Goudis took part in one of these year’s International Visitors’ Programmes organized by the North Rhine-Westphalian (NRW) Office of Culture (NRW KULTURsekretariat) and had the chance for a number of field visits in Germany’s most populous state. Michalis reports how investment in affordable housing and in culture can be the drivers for the transformation of a place that has left its glorious industrial past behind.