A workshop hosted on 8 June by the European Housing Taskforce brought together national and local authorities, housing associations and EU policymakers to discuss how municipal housing systems can be designed and financed.
The session, organised with Housing Europe — a federation representing social, cooperative and public housing providers — focused on the structures used in municipal and community-led housing models across EU member states, the European Commission reported in a release on Wednesday.
Housing Europe set out topics including economic models for municipal housing, land planning and zoning tools, and the role of local authorities in increasing the supply of social and affordable homes.
Case studies were presented from municipal housing companies in countries including Germany, Austria, France and Finland.
Governance arrangements that are independent from political cycles were described as a feature in German and Austrian examples, with the organisations involved attributing long-term sustainability to that approach.
Financing models and waiting lists
Participants also discussed how public authorities can support financial sustainability and access to finance, including Sweden’s Kommuninvest model, Finland’s Munifin financing and Germany’s KfW lending, the Commission said.
Afternoon discussions covered who municipal housing is intended to serve, including eligibility rules, waiting list management, and approaches to social inclusion in Paris and Espoo in Finland.
Joint public procurement contracts were cited as one way municipal housing companies can reduce costs and administrative work.
The workshop also heard that the profile of housing applicants in Sweden has shifted from families to more single applicants, seniors and people seeking housing later in life due to changing circumstances.
Residualisation — where a universal system increasingly ends up serving only the most vulnerable — was described as a risk when long waiting lists prioritise applicants with the greatest needs.
The event concluded with a call for more cross-border learning, noting that France, Sweden and Austria have up to 70 years’ experience of municipal housing development in the post-war period.
The European Housing Alliance, linked to the European Affordable Housing Plan, will be used to share housing expertise and best practice across Europe.
