Brussels launches public consultation on the first European Affordable Housing Plan

The European Commission has opened a broad public consultation to gather opinions and suggestions on the development of a European Affordable Housing Plan, considered vital in responding to the current housing crisis affecting millions of citizens across the continent.

The plan comes at a time when several European capitals are facing sharp increases in housing prices, both for purchase and rental. The Brussels proposal aims to establish a common framework, with clear objectives and indicators, capable of supporting Member States in the creation and renovation of affordable housing, through instruments such as direct financing, tax incentives, and public-private partnerships.

The document presents three central areas:

Market monitoring: defining European indicators to assess housing availability, affordability, and quality;

Financing: combining national funds, the RRP, and new European instruments, such as NextGenerationEU, to accelerate projects;

Bureaucracy and planning: harmonizing procedures between cities and reducing the average permitting time.

The consultation is open until the end of the summer, with the possibility of input from local authorities, civic organizations, the real estate sector, academics, and citizens. The goal is for the plan to become a cohesive strategy, applicable across different national contexts, but capable of addressing specific realities—such as overheated urban areas, inland areas experiencing desertification, or peripheral regions lacking services.

For Portugal and other countries where the supply crisis is evident (notably in the Metropolitan Areas of Lisbon and Porto), the European plan could become an instrument that strengthens the capacity for public and private intervention, attracting funding and strengthening housing legislation. In the future, intermunicipal coordination and new urban planning instruments could accelerate the construction of affordable housing, also allowing for the regulation of foreign investment.

Learn more here!

Source: DiárioImobiliário

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