Housing Exclusion
Policies

The EU is grappling with significant challenges such as unemployment, labour mismatches, and a rising number of young people not in education, employment, or training.

Homelessness is one of the most severe outcomes of the housing affordability crisis. FEANTSA reports a 70% increase in homelessness between 2010 and 2020, with approximately 900,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the EU. Despite these alarming numbers, few countries are making tangible progress in addressing the problem—an unacceptable situation for a continent committed to social inclusion.

What do we do/want?

Public, cooperative, and social housing providers are committed to being key players in tackling the most extreme forms of social exclusion. In this context, we must ask: should public funds be allocated to address the social consequences of the housing or cost-of-living crises and prevent further harm to society? Securing access to decent, affordable housing is the most effective way to prevent the growing emergency of homelessness and housing exclusion.

Policymakers must encourage long-term national and local partnerships between housing providers, social services, and local authorities to meet the support needs of those at risk. EU platforms, such as the European Platform for Combatting Homelessness, must urgently back these partnerships to end housing exclusion.

Finding a home after losing everything, by BBC Storyworks

Mustafa and his family lost everything in the Syrian civil war. Through the Refugee Resettlement project, Co-operative Housing Ireland, along with other agencies, committed to help some of the families who had to flee from their countries by providing safe places to live for people like Mustafa and his family.