The State of Housing in the EU, 2017 edition

27.10.2017

Housing Europe

The 2017 edition of the ‘State of Housing in the EU’ provides proof that Europe’s housing challenge is far from over:

Housing has become the highest expenditure for Europeans and overburden rate remains stable at high level, hitting disproportionally harder the poor.
House prices are growing faster than income in most Member States, while inequality and housing exclusion are mutually reinforcing.
Territorial divide is alarming, as finding adequate and affordable housing in places where job opportunities are, is increasingly hard.
As the level of housing construction is still low, especially major cities face a structural housing shortage reinforced by recent waves of migration.

Political response to Europe’s housing challenge remains poor, a fact reflected in increasing levels of homelessness. Only cities, that are at the forefront of the housing crisis, are showing a more prominent role in finding solutions.