Rolf Müller, Jonathan Franke, Dr. Max-Christopher Krapp & others.
Germany’s federal institute BBSR
2022
The document titled "Housing Policies in the EU" was published in April 2022 by Germany's Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) within the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR). This research is part of the "Experimental Housing and Urban Development (ExWoSt)" program, initiated during Germany's EU Council Presidency in 2020. The project was managed by Rolf Müller and Jonathan Franke from BBSR, with contributions from the Institute for Housing and the Environment (IWU) in Darmstadt and the Technical University Darmstadt's Institute of Political Science. Key authors include Dr. Max-Christopher Krapp, Martin Vaché, Prof. Dr. Björn Egner, Prof. Dr. Kai Schulze, and Samantha Thomas. 🌍 Contextual Overview The study offers a comprehensive analysis of housing policies across EU member states, addressing the myriad challenges posed by climate change, energy efficiency, urbanization, immigration, and demographic shifts. Its goal is to provide insights into the diverse housing supply systems and policy frameworks within the EU, identifying how these factors interact and influence housing conditions. 🏘️ Diverse Housing Systems The research reveals significant diversity in housing supply systems among EU member states, ranging from balanced markets with a mix of owner-occupied and rental properties to those predominantly featuring owner-occupied housing. This variation is crucial for understanding the housing landscape across Europe. 📜 Policy Structures National housing policies are shaped by historical developments, socio-political contexts, market structures, and legal frameworks. The study emphasizes that while solutions to housing challenges must be crafted at the national level, there is considerable benefit in fostering international dialogue and learning from best practices. ⚖️ Governance Variability The governance of housing policies differs markedly across countries, with responsibilities allocated variously among national, regional, and local authorities. This discrepancy can impact the effectiveness and responsiveness of housing policies. 📉 Impact of Financial Crisis The 2008 financial crisis had diverse effects on housing markets throughout member states, impacting lending practices and housing demand due to immigration, as well as construction industry capacities. 🏠 Common Challenges The report highlights common challenges, including rising prices and rents in urban areas, a shortage of social or subsidized housing, and issues related to energy poverty. 📈 Tenure Dynamics An observable trend is the increasing demand for rental properties in urbanized areas, driven by urbanization and labor mobility, which may lead to a convergence of tenure types across the EU. This report underscores the necessity of understanding national contexts while promoting international cooperation to tackle shared housing policy challenges across Europe.
Germany’s federal institute BBSR
The document titled "Housing Policies in the EU" was published in April 2022 by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) within the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR) in Germany. The research was conducted as part of the "Experimental Housing and Urban Development (ExWoSt)" program under the German EU Council Presidency in 2020. The project was managed by Rolf Müller and Jonathan Franke from BBSR, with contributions from the Institute for Housing and the Environment (IWU) in Darmstadt, and the Technical University Darmstadt's Institute of Political Science. Key authors include Dr. Max-Christopher Krapp, Martin Vaché, Prof. Dr. Björn Egner, Prof. Dr. Kai Schulze, and Samantha Thomas.
Context
The study provides a comprehensive analysis of housing policies across European Union member states, focusing on the challenges posed by climate change, energy efficiency, urbanization, immigration, and demographic shifts. It aims to offer insights into the diverse housing supply systems and policy structures within the EU.
Key Findings
- Diverse Housing Systems: The study identifies a wide range of housing supply systems among EU member states, from balanced markets with both owner-occupied and rental properties to those dominated by owner-occupied housing.
- Policy Structures: National housing policies are shaped by historical developments, socio-political tasks, market structures, and legal frameworks. The study highlights that solutions to housing challenges need to be developed at the national level but can benefit from international exchange and learning.
- Governance Variability: The governance of housing policies varies significantly across countries, with responsibilities distributed differently among national, regional, and local levels.
- Impact of Financial Crisis: The 2008 financial crisis had varying impacts on housing markets across member states, influencing lending practices, housing demand due to immigration, and construction industry capacities.
- EU Influence: The EU's impact on national housing policies is generally low but varies depending on national contexts and existing housing stocks. EU regulations on state aid and energy efficiency play significant roles in some countries.
- Common Challenges: Rising prices and rents in urban areas are widespread issues across member states, along with a lack of social or subsidized housing and energy poverty concerns.
- Tenure Dynamics: There is a trend towards increased rental demand in urbanized areas due to factors like urbanization and labor mobility, which may lead to a convergence of tenure types across the EU.
The report underscores the importance of understanding national contexts while fostering international dialogue to address shared challenges in housing policy across Europe.