The Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI) is a flagship program under the New European Bauhaus (NEB) that aims to ensure social and affordable housing facilities benefit from the Renovation Wave strategy. The strategic focus areas of AHI include: 1. **Piloting 100 Lighthouse Renovation and Construction Districts**: These districts will incorporate smart neighborhood approaches, focusing on energy efficiency, liveability, and innovation. 2. **Cross-Sectoral Partnerships**: AHI promotes collaboration among social economy entities, SMEs, local authorities, housing associations, investors, and civil society. 3. **Innovative Processes**: The initiative supports the use of circular and modular building, renewable energy production, and engagement models to empower residents and local communities. AHI has access to various financial resources, including the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which allocates 8% to strengthening sustainable urban development. The typical project financing amount is not specified, but it varies depending on the project scope and requirements. To receive funding, projects must align with the AHI's objectives and demonstrate innovative approaches to affordable housing. Recent projects financed include the European Affordable Housing Consortium (SHAPE-EU), drOp, and ProLight, which focus on creating replicable models for energy-efficient and socially inclusive housing districts across Europe.
The Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI) can support the development of the European Housing Cooperative (EHC) through financial and other means. The AHI aims to make social and affordable housing facilities benefit from the renovation wave by providing technical and innovation capacity, project support, and promoting efficient access to innovative processes like circular and modular building and renewable energy production. Specific programs suitable to support the co-creation of the EHC include: - Piloting 100 lighthouse renovation and construction districts with a smart neighborhood approach focused on energy efficiency, liveability, and innovation. - Mobilizing cross-sectoral project partnerships and linking them to local actors, such as social economy entities, SMEs, local authorities, housing associations, investors, and civil society. - Promoting efficient access and use of innovative processes like circular and modular building, production of renewable energy, and engagement models to empower residents and local communities. Similar projects that received funding in the past include the European Affordable Housing Consortium (SHAPE-EU), which supports local industrial partnerships for the renovation or construction of 20 lighthouse districts, focusing on innovative approaches and multi-stakeholder partnerships.