At the meeting of EU housing ministers in Cyprus, Housing Europe was present to ensure that the perspective of the organisations already delivering truly affordable homes across the continent was part of the conversation.
Housing Europe President Marco Corradi insisted that Europe does not need to start from scratch. All over Europe, mission-driven housing providers are already building homes, renovating neighbourhoods and supporting communities through rising economic pressures.
The challenge is not a lack of experience or commitment. To us, it is often fragmented financing systems, costly borrowing conditions and policy frameworks that make long-term investment harder than it should be.
While discussions in Brussels can sometimes become abstract, the reality on the ground is more practical. The key question is how to help the actors already delivering genuinely affordable housing to do moren and to do it faster.
For Housing Europe, this means recognising mission-led housing as essential infrastructure rather than a niche market segment. It means better alignment between European and national financing tools, greater support for long-term investment, and a level playing field that overcomes distortions in the treatment of public and private housing stock, including differences in tax treatment.
The meeting in Cyprus also highlighted the importance of bringing policymakers and practitioners together more often. Only by sharing experiences, identifying obstacles and learning from successful approaches can Europe move closer to the new housing paradigm that citizens increasingly expect.
