Background

Europe is currently facing a severe housing crisis that affects the affordability, accessibility, and quality of urban living. From Amsterdam to Athens and Lisbon to Berlin, rising housing costs are making it increasingly difficult for many residents to find housing close to their workplaces, as prices continue to outpace incomes and place growing pressure on households.

Across European cities, one in ten residents spends more than 40% of their income on housing, rising to nearly a quarter among young adults aged 18 to 29. In many historic and highly touristic cities, a significant portion of the housing stock is absorbed by short-term rental markets, limiting the availability of long-term residences and driving up rental prices. The consequences are tangible: essential workers and families often endure long commutes to save on housing costs, live in overcrowded homes, and face precarious or insecure housing conditions.

While the crisis manifests differently across urban contexts, it is a shared challenge prompting urgent action at the municipal, national and EU levels of government. Cities are uniquely positioned to respond, given their proximity to residents and capacity to implement context-specific solutions. Yet many local authorities face structural constraints, including limited access to financial instruments, land, and the regulatory levers needed to scale affordable housing solutions effectively.

The forthcoming report Cities Addressing the Housing Crisis: Innovative and Integrated Approaches, which will be launched on 2 December, examines the drivers of the housing crisis, housing tenure patterns, and the population groups most affected, while also analysing the obstacles to expanding social and affordable housing and the key strategies adopted across 20 European cities, including three outside the EU.

The findings aim to inform future housing policy and practice across both EU and non-EU contexts, while supporting the development of the European Affordable Housing Plan. They also underline the crucial role of the limited-profit housing sector which have proven essential in expanding affordable housing stock, ensuring quality standards, and reinvesting surpluses for public benefit.

Objectives

In light of these findings, the breakfast debate will bring together MEPs, representatives from the European Commission, city leaders, and housing experts from the limited-profit housing sector to reflect on how EU-level initiatives can better respond to local realities. The event will provide an opportunity to discuss the main insights emerging from the report, hear directly from two European cities about their approaches to tackling housing affordability, and exchange views on how the forthcoming European Affordable Housing Plan can effectively support local efforts.

Through an open and constructive dialogue, the debate aims to strengthen cooperation between EU institutions, cities, and housing stakeholders, ensuring that EU strategies and funding instruments are designed to meet on-the-ground needs and contribute to scaling up innovative, social, and financially sustainable solutions across Europe.

Programme

8:00 – 8:05 Opening remarks by MEP Gabriele Bischoff (S&D)

8:05 – 8:15 Eurocities secretariat to present the main findings of the report

8:15 – 8:55 Panel discussion

8:55 – 9:00 Conclusions by MEP Bischoff and family picture

Panellists

• Agnese Papadia, Member of the Cabinet of EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen
• Aleksandra Trzcińska, Acting Head of the Department of Housing Programmes, Revitalisation Bureau, City of Lodz
• Dr. Bernd Riessland, Scientific Advisor on Limited-Profit Housing for Housing Europe & Board Member of the VÖWG
• Dennis de Vries, Vice-Mayor on Housing, City of Utrecht

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.