The European People’s Party Group in the European Committee of the Regions (EPP-CoR) welcomes the joint call by European mayors urging stronger EU action to tackle the housing crisis. The recent Mayors for Housing letter to EU leaders demonstrates a growing consensus that affordable and secure homes are essential to Europe’s social cohesion and competitiveness.
EPP-CoR local leaders, including Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw, and Ray McAdam, Lord Mayor of Dublin, have been at the forefront of this discussion for months. Through the Badalona Declaration, adopted earlier this year following debate with local and regional leaders as well as young people, the EPP-CoR set out a comprehensive vision for housing policy — built on proximity, solidarity and responsibility.
“For the EPP-CoR, housing is the foundation upon which stability, family and the future of our citizens are built. Our mayors are delivering practical, people-centred solutions that combine affordability, sustainability and ownership,” said EPP-CoR President Sari Rautio.
Across Europe, EPP local and regional leaders are already making housing work on the ground:
- In Badalona, Mayor Xavier García Albiol has revitalised public housing development after two decades of inactivity. “Our city, the third largest in Catalonia and the 23rd in Spain, had not launched a single public housing project in the past 20 years. The projects we have begun are already more than what was achieved in that time,” he explained. His administration is also addressing long-neglected issues such as squatting while ensuring homes remain accessible for local families.
- In Westland (Netherlands), Kevin Klinkspoor, Municipal Council Member, emphasises collaboration: “We are tackling the housing challenge through public–private partnerships, stronger housing associations and targeted support for young buyers. By working with local experts, we provide practical guidance on mortgages and renovation. We are expanding affordable rental housing and offering first-time buyers an additional €30,000 loan to help young families settle locally and strengthen community ties.”
The Badalona Declaration translates this hands-on experience into concrete European proposals:
- Closing the housing investment gap through smarter use of InvestEU and cohesion funds.
- Simplifying procedures and enabling local flexibility to accelerate construction.
- Supporting youth and families, with targeted EU funding for affordable homes and first-time buyers.
- Balancing sustainability and affordability, ensuring renovation policies do not burden citizens.
- Encouraging home ownership and innovative community housing models, including cooperative and intergenerational schemes.
- Protecting property rights and urban security, ensuring legal certainty and fair use of housing.
EPP local and regional leaders are clear: Europe must build more homes — faster and smarter. The EPP-CoR believes that the upcoming European Affordable Housing Plan must focus on simplification: cutting red tape, speeding up permits, and giving cities the flexibility they need to act. At the same time, it should mobilise investment through Cohesion Policy funds and the European Investment Bank (EIB) to boost affordable construction and renovation — particularly for young people and families. These steps are essential to make Europe a place where every citizen can access a safe, affordable home, and where local authorities have the right tools to make it happen.