Housing Affordability & Social Inclusion

Across Europe, the widening gap between incomes and housing costs has become a defining social challenge, locking diverse populations out of secure homes. From key workers priced out of the cities they serve to the rise in severe housing exclusion and homelessness, affordability is no longer a marginal issue. It intersects deeply with generational inequality, shifting tenure structures, and systemic barriers faced by migrant communities. At the European policy level, frameworks such as the Affordable Housing Initiative and the European Pillar of Social Rights underscore the urgency of tackling rent burdens and ensuring decent accommodation. Understanding this crisis requires examining not just cost overburden indicators, but the broader social inclusion mechanisms determining who can access adequate housing.

Below, you will find resources exploring these dynamics, including comparative studies on social housing in Berlin and Vienna, analyses of in-kind benefits, and proposals for fairer housing systems. The collection highlights the work of co-operatives and public bodies such as the Allgemeine Baugenossenschaft Zürich, Co-operative Housing Ireland, and Aquitanis, alongside collaborative projects like Calico and Blaue Insel. You can also discover upcoming opportunities to engage with these themes at major gatherings, from the Affordable Housing Initiative Days to the ENHR Annual Conference and the URBACT City Festival. Whether you are investigating the economic effects of migration on housing or the push for long-term affordability, these materials offer vital insights into building inclusive communities.