The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is in the process of drafting an own-initiative opinion on "Smart, sustainable and affordable housing as a tool for local authorities to face multiple challenges" and has appointed Andres Jaadla (ET/renew E.), Member of Rakvere City Council, as rapporteur for the opinion.
Housing is in the spotlight of many political discussions in the last years, as the negative trend of accessible and affordable housing is spreading increasingly through Europe and heavily affects European citizens in accessing housing. The migration crisis, COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine have intensified the challenges in housing and urban development in the European Union. More European cities and regions are facing persistently high house prices against the backdrop of shortage of affordable housing supply.
After years of underinvestment, smart, sustainable and affordable housing emerges as the potential solution and the tool for local and regional authorities to deal with the cost-of-living crisis, the refugee and migration inflow combined with accelerated demographic trends, and climate change and increasingly pronounced weather extremes.
The CoR opinion therefore aims at taking stock of the ongoing initiatives related to housing on both private and public housing, which could boost the local economic base and help reverse demographic trends. It could help cities and regions to respond to various challenges, such as migration, climate resilience, impact of platform rentals, slow spatial planning, etc.
By means of this stakeholders consultation, Mr Jaadla, would like to consult relevant stakeholders and gather their position regarding affordability, sustainability and availability of housing in European regions and cities.
The following guiding questions will lead the discussion:
- What is the situation with affordable housing in your city or region and what are the factors influencing the trend?
- What is the home ownership trend in your in your region/city, has the public housing expanded or reduced and do the market of private housing works?
- What is the impact of property taxation and the rental market dynamics on the housing market and housing affordability in your constituency?
- What is "touristification" of European city centres doing to the local housing market? Share any policies to control the trends.
- What are the key challenges of maintaining housing infrastructure, especially in older or densely populated areas?
- Is the Renovation Wave/national renovation plans supporting affordable housing and what are the success programmes and supports for low-income but also for middle-income population groups?
- Are smart home solutions worthy of streamlined public support, and a wider rollout, and does your region/city have a specific body or lab to promote new solutions?
- How is your city/region experiencing gentrification of previously neglected, particularly central and formerly industrial neighbourhoods? What are the positives, what architectural and urban planning solutions work best, and what are the risks?
- What are the challenges regarding the housing availability in your region – for migrants, refugees and displaced people, and also for youths and students?
- In terms of helping the reconstruction of Ukraine, what support do you think is needed for ensuring that Ukrainians can return to both private and public housing built to the highest EU standards.