EU Cohesion Policy should help Europe address the Housing Challenge
Joint position paper of FEANTSA and Housing Europe in reaction to the publication of the proposals for the European Cohesion Policy 2021 - 2027
On 29th May 2018, the European Commission published its proposal on Cohesion Policy for 2021-2027, in which it proposed a reduction of Cohesion Policy by 7 %. FEANTSA and Housing Europe are concerned that this will impact the affordable housing sector negatively and lead to the EU budget not being able to support Member States to address growing levels of housing exclusion and homelessness.
There is an urgent need to shape the next European Multiannual Financial Framework in a way that will enable Member States to respond to challenges of inadequate housing, housing deprivation and increasing homelessness in Europe.
As the FEANTSA and Fondation Abbé Pierre Third Overview of Housing Exclusion in Europe shows, homelessness is increasing all over Europe, except in Finland (-18% from 2009 to 2016), where the government has adopted a bold integrated and decentralised strategy, setting measurable and reachable targets and time frame. The European Union could adopt a similar bold posture and present the EU budget as a lever to improve policies and services for the homeless, increase production of affordable housing solutions and encourage Member States to shift from “managing” to “ending” homelessness.
