The European Social Housing Observatory, created initially in 1993 and re-launched in 2004, stimulated the advocacy work of CECODHAS Housing Europe, making the case for social housing to the European Parliament, the European Commission and national governments. In 2006 the Observatory produced a detailed membership census that informed the CECODHAS five-year strategic plan (2007-2012) adopted in Vienna later in the year.

Europe’s first Social Housing Week, held by CECODHAS in Brussels from 10 to 14 October 2005 was a landmark for the sector. The conference was attended by 400 delegates from 22 countries, among them 5 EU ministers and ministerial delegations from Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Spain, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Poland.