For socialists, housing is not a luxury or a financial asset. It is a fundamental right and one of the foundations of a fair society. Across Europe, rising rents, housing shortages and the spread of short-term rentals are putting increasing pressure on people and communities.
The European Commission has proposed new legislation that it says is aimed at helping local authorities across the EU to tackle housing crises.
The EU’s first-ever regulation on housing is therefore an important step forward. We welcome the Commission’s recognition that housing is primarily a place to live, not an investment vehicle, and its commitment to supporting cities and regions in tackling the housing crisis.
As Jaume Collboni, Mayor of Barcelona, underlined: “We are grateful for the leading role that cities have played throughout the whole drafting process, for instance proposing the adoption of the concept of areas under housing stress as the cornerstone of the Regulation. We appreciate the recognition that the proliferation of short-term rental services in cities exacerbates the lack of affordable housing for residents and the possibility for us to adopt measures on the issue.”
Michael Ludwig, Mayor of Vienna, similarly welcomed the Commission’s proposal: “Affordable housing is one of the key social, economic and political issues of our time. That is why, in Vienna, we are consistently protecting housing from speculation and ensuring that flats serve their actual purpose: providing a place to live. We welcome that European policymakers have become active in social and affordable housing and suggest creating a framework for cities to restrict short-term rentals. It is now up to EU legislators to ensure that it works in practice, based on the right evidence and with greater legal certainty. I especially call upon the European Parliament and the Council to work together with cities, regions and their European organisations, as there are still a number of areas that need to be refined and developed. Vienna is happy and willing to contribute its expertise so that the European Union can better safeguard and expand social and affordable housing.”
These voices from two major European cities underline an important point: progressive cities have been at the forefront of this debate, and their experience must continue to shape the EU’s response.
In particular, cities and regions must be on board when setting the criteria for defining “areas under housing stress”. They must not be too rigid. Cities and regions face very different housing realities, and they need sufficient room to respond to the pressures their residents are experiencing.
The fight for affordable housing is a socialist fight for social justice. We will continue working with the European Parliament and the Council to strengthen the regulation and make sure that Europe’s housing policy delivers what people need most: homes that are affordable, accessible and made for living in the long term.
Image credit © European Union