Affordable and adequate homes - The cost of and access to housing in EuropeForthcoming

Housing affordability is a matter of great concern across the EU. Poor housing affordability leads to housing evictions, housing insecurity, problematic housing costs and housing inadequacy. These problems negatively affect health and well-being, create unequal living conditions and opportunities, and come with healthcare costs, reduced productivity and environmental damage. Private market tenants face particularly large increases in the cost of housing. Owners with mortgages are vulnerable to increases in interest rates, and many without mortgages in post-communist and southern European countries experience poverty and housing inadequacy. While social housing and rent subsidies offer support to many, capacity differs both across and within countries and groups in vulnerable situations may be excluded. This report outlines the various housing problems in the EU, and the policies that address them, drawing on Eurofound’s Living, Working and COVID-19 e-survey, data from the EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) and input by the Network of Eurofound Correspondents.