Zagreb

1. Cultural Events: Zagreb hosts a variety of unique cultural events throughout the year, including the Advent in Zagreb, which has been recognized as one of the best Christmas markets in Europe, featuring festive decorations, local foods, and live performances. 2. Hidden Parks: The city is home to several hidden parks and green spaces that offer a tranquil escape from urban life. One such gem is the Maksimir Park, which dates back to the 18th century and features beautiful landscapes, lakes, and even a zoo. 3. Street Art Scene: Zagreb boasts a vibrant street art scene, with many murals and installations scattered throughout the city. The neighborhood of Tkalčićeva Street is particularly known for its colorful artwork, showcasing the talents of local and international artists.

The housing market in Zagreb, Croatia's capital, is experiencing significant growth and high demand. As of 2021, there were approximately 2.4 million housing units in Croatia, with Zagreb being a major urban center. The city has seen a substantial increase in property prices, with residential property prices rising by 13.99% year-on-year in Q2 2023. In Zagreb, the average price for apartments reached €2,987 per square meter in 2023, while houses averaged €1,795 per square meter. The most expensive districts include Trešnjevka-jug, Gornji grad-Medveščak, Trnje, and Donji grad, with prices exceeding €3,200 per square meter. Regarding ownership, 86.5% of occupied dwellings in Croatia are privately owned. However, specific figures for Zagreb are not provided in the search results. The rental market in Zagreb is active, but detailed statistics on the proportion of renters versus owners are not available in the given information. Public, social, and cooperative housing play a limited role in Zagreb's housing market. There are initiatives like the Zagreb Community Senior Centre & Housing project, which aims to provide affordable housing for seniors, but the overall share of such housing in the market is not specified in the search results. The housing market in Zagreb continues to be dynamic, with increasing prices and a trend towards more vacant dwellings despite population decline.

The city administration of Zagreb is actively addressing the housing crisis through various initiatives and partnerships. Mayor Tomislav Tomašević has prioritized social and affordable housing as a key focus. The city is collaborating with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to develop guidelines for affordable housing projects, evaluate current policies, and assess housing needs over the next 10-20 years. One of the city's strategic projects is the construction of an affordable housing building in Podbrežje, which will provide 288 apartments for approximately 1,000 residents. This project is set to begin soon and demonstrates the city's commitment to creating quality living conditions for its citizens, especially the most vulnerable. Zagreb is also participating in the "Together for more comfortable housing" project series, which addresses energy poverty among citizens, with a recent focus on the specific needs of people with disabilities. This initiative aims to raise the quality of life for vulnerable groups and propose inclusive local public policies and measures. The city administration is working on developing a comprehensive housing strategy, considering local needs and exploring foreign funding opportunities. They are also looking into utilizing existing vacant housing units owned by local authorities for public or social rental purposes, rather than solely relying on new land development.

Housing cooperatives play a growing role in addressing Zagreb's housing challenges, though they are still in a nascent stage compared to some other European cities. The city of Zagreb has shown interest in promoting cooperative housing as a way to provide affordable housing options and foster community-driven development. One notable initiative is the Zagreb Community Senior Centre & Housing project, which provides independent living apartments for seniors alongside a community center. While not strictly a cooperative, it demonstrates Zagreb's openness to innovative housing models that combine affordability with community engagement. The organization Zadruga Otvorena Arhitektura (ZOA) has been working to develop a cooperative housing model for Zagreb. They have mapped city-owned plots suitable for cooperative housing and created conceptual architectural projects with related financial models. ZOA aims to propose this model to the city government to kick-start cooperative housing development. Zagreb is also part of the MOBA Housing network, which connects pioneering housing cooperatives across Central and South-Eastern Europe. This network aims to build expertise and develop financial instruments to launch pilot cooperative housing projects in the region. While specific city policies promoting cooperative housing are limited, Zagreb's involvement in these initiatives suggests a growing recognition of cooperatives as a potential solution to housing affordability issues. However, more concrete policy support and regulations may be needed to fully realize the potential of cooperative housing in the city.