RICS position on the Future of Affordable Housing in Europe

Affordable housing stands at the heart of Europe’s social and economic future. Rising costs, uneven supply, and ageing housing stock have created deep imbalances that threaten cohesion, well-being, and opportunity. Housing is not just an economic asset but a foundation for thriving communities, sustainable growth, and individual dignity. Yet across Europe, too many people struggle to find homes that are accessible, high-quality, and energy efficient.

As part of the European Commission’s ongoing work on the Affordable Housing Plan, our position paper, developed with the contribution of over 20 European members, outlines actionable recommendations to ensure housing is both accessible and sustainable.

Meeting this challenge requires a holistic and forward-looking approach that unites social, economic, and environmental priorities. Europe must foster collaboration between public and private sectors, encourage flexible urban planning, and invest in the renewal and repurposing of existing buildings. The Affordable Housing Plan should be a catalyst for inclusion, resilience, and sustainability, ensuring that every person has access to a home that supports both human and planetary wellbeing. 

We will continue to work with European institutions to help develop a pan-European framework for financing social housing, ensuring the right balance between social objectives and sustainable investment, in line with RICS’ longstanding commitment to the public interest.

We thank our members for their valuable support and contributions to this endeavour: Philip Bischop, Anders Böhlke, Ádám Banai, Gianluigi Chiaro, Ákos Ferenc Fischl, Panagiotis Giannakis, Miguel Ángel Gómez, Luis Martin Guirado, Joanna Jaroszewska, Andreas Kleinbauer, Max Mendel, Michael Miller, Daniel Odor, Marco Plazzotta, Gábor Soóki-Tóth Csaba, Alvaro Torres, Peter Wågström, Maria Wiśniewska, Dominik Wojdat, and Mihaela Zaharieva.

For more information, please contact Valeria Sepe vsepe@rics.org and Gina Ding gding@rics.org