“Rather than a fundamental right to be guaranteed for all, housing has increasingly been considered a market to make profits through speculative acquisitions and the so-called financialization of the housing market, especially in cities . . . . This has a dramatic effect on prices.” — Kim van Sparrentak, Dutch Member of the European Parliament and the rapporteur for the Parliament’s report on Access to Decent and Affordable Housing for All.
The European Union has been slow to react as an overarching government to a growing crisis in its member nations. The problem of affordable housing has been left to individual countries to solve for themselves, and many, if not all, are having difficulty in managing.
The refugee problem has certainly exacerbated the crisis, but is only one part of the problem. In van Sparrentak’s words, “It has become painfully clear to me, as rapporteur on this topic in the European Parliament, that European rules today are often better at protecting the making of profit on the housing market, than at protecting people who need a roof over their head. This has to change.”
Another alarming trend has been a general failure to invest in a vital foundation of public housing for those with very low and no income. That shortfall is contributing to dramatic increases in the number of homeless in the EU.
The EU parliament approved Access to decent and affordable housing for all, on January 21, 2021. This is a hopeful first step for the European Government to throw the full weight of its authority and resources towards.
For detail on the roots and scope of the housing crisis that is affecting European nations much as it is afffecting countries around the globe, read more by Kim van Sparrentak in EURACTIV: Why The EU Has A Big Role To Play In Tackling The Housing Crisis
