Affordable Housing in the EU: Towards Inclusion and Accessibility for All

The EESC Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship (SOC) organised a hearing on 15 September entitled: " Accessible and Affordable Housing for All: Ensuring Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the EU". It brought together voices from the EU institutions, civil society, disability organisations and housing experts to address the urgent challenge of affordable and accessible housing across Europe.

The European Affordable Housing Plan

The European Commission is developing its first-ever European Affordable Housing Plan, aiming to increase the supply of affordable, sustainable housing and improve access for vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities. The plan builds on initiatives such as the Renovation Wave and the New European Bauhaus and seeks stakeholder input through a public consultation in 2025. The EESC has drafted an opinion encapsulating civil society's input to the affordable housing plan, which is slated for adoption during its September plenary session.

Tatiana Márquez-Uriarte from the European Commission's Task Force on Housing emphasised that, although housing policy is primarily a Member State competence, the Commission is stepping in to support countries and cities with financial and advisory tools. She noted a dramatic rise in housing prices: 20% on average over the past decade, with some regions experiencing increases of 50% or even 100%. Essential workers, young people, and those with disabilities are increasingly unable to afford homes near their workplaces, threatening social cohesion and economic vitality

Barriers for Persons with Disabilities

Persons with disabilities face compounded barriers: lower incomes, higher poverty risk, and the need for accessible housing. Inmaculada Placencia Porrero (DG JUST) highlighted obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which enshrines the right to adequate and accessible housing. She stressed that accessible housing is not just about the physical dwelling, but also the surrounding environment, services, and community integration

Accessible housing is often scarce and expensive, and many persons with disabilities are relegated to segregated, poorly serviced areas. The Commission calls for Member States to assess and plan for the future needs of disabled people, integrate accessibility into social housing strategies, and prioritise disabled applicants in housing programmes

Marie Denninghaus (Policy and Capacity Building Manager at the European Disability Forum) highlighted the importance of making affordable housing truly accessible for persons with disabilities, emphasising that accessible housing is essential for independent living and social inclusion. Denninghaus called for a dedicated fund for accessible housing, more flexible investment rules, and stronger enforcement of accessibility standards.

The Role of Social Housing Providers

Alice Pittini (a Research Director at Housing Europe) stressed that 70–80% of existing housing stock is unsuitable for independent living for people with mobility issues. While some countries have robust social housing sectors, many do not, and waiting lists are growing. She highlighted the need for new construction, renovation of existing stock, and partnerships with care providers to deliver personalised support. EU funds can leverage investment in social housing, but funding silos and regulatory barriers must be addressed.

Meanwhile, FEANTSA Housing Policy Officer, Ioana Vlad, advocated for a human rights and needs-based approach to housing, prioritising those whose right to adequate housing is violated – such as people experiencing homelessness, housing exclusion, or deprivation. She called for increased investment in social housing, targeted programmes for rehousing homeless people, and better monitoring of progress through the European Semester.

Speaking for the Committee of the Regions, Mikko Aaltonen (rapporteur of the opinion on "Eradicating homelessness in the European Union: The local and regional perspective") highlighted the involvement of local and regional authorities in addressing the housing crisis, stressing that they are the key actors responsible for implementing solutions on the ground (planning, constructing, and delivering housing to communities and cities).

"Recognising housing as a fundamental right, the Affordable Housing Plan must ensure these authorities are actively engaged in both its design and execution," he added.

"The housing crisis is not a law of nature: it is the result of political decisions"

EESC member Thomas Kattnig (who is co-rapporteur of the EESC Opinion on affordable housing) underscored the severity of the housing crisis in Europe, emphasising that it strikes hardest at those with special needs. He advocated for recognising housing as a fundamental right, calling for this to be enshrined in EU primary law.

Kattnig welcomed the European Commission’s Affordable Housing Plan and stressed the importance of subsidiarity, acknowledging that while housing policy is a Member State competence, a strong EU framework is essential to empower local and regional governments to address diverse challenges.

Kattnig also called for reforming state aid rules and the Stability and Growth Pact to enable greater public investment and pointed to the Austrian model of limited-profit housing as a benchmark. He insisted that accessible housing is not optional but a prerequisite for dignity and self-determination, especially for people with disabilities, and advocated for binding EU standards, better support for renovations, and expansion of housing support services.

Kattnig underscored that the housing crisis is not inevitable, stating that: "this crisis is not a law of nature: it is the result of political decisions – and it can be overcome by concrete political choices."