As a cornerstone of young people’s lives, access to housing not only enables them to live independently from their parents but also supports their mental and physical well-being. A stable home provides the conditions for self-care, fosters a sense of belonging, and allows young people to thrive across all areas of life.
The Youth Wiki report ‘Youth access to affordable and quality housing’ provides, through a comparative analysis, a mapping of the policy measures supporting young people’s access to affordable and quality housing in 34 European countries. Based on the data provided by the Youth Wiki network of National Correspondents, the report illustrates the main recurring forms of housing support that European countries have put in place. Through its conclusions, the report contributes to informing the way forward, identifying several suggestions for the advancement of youth housing policies in Europe.
This publication is a reliable source for policymakers, youth organisations and anyone interested in discovering the realities Europe’s young people face in accessing housing across Europe.
Report’s key findings:
Generally, the availability of social housing is inadequate across many European countries. Further investments in social housing and increasing the social housing stock are needed. To increase the supply of affordable accommodation for disadvantaged youth and students, collaboration between public actors and private investors can be helpful. For example, such collaborations could ensure new development projects include social housing for young people.
Supporting young people’s renting capacity is essential. However, support for renting is the least followed policy approach by national authorities; less than half of the countries in the study have established this kind of housing measure for young people. Establishing means-tested housing allowances would enable young people with fewer resources and students to afford housing. As proposed by the European affordable housing plan, creating alternative housing solutions – such as affordable co-living and co-housing – can reduce costs while enhancing young people’s inclusion in local communities.
National housing policies do not frequently address the fact that young people’s spatial differentiation – which considers if young people live in rural or urban spaces – can greatly influence their housing experience. Targeting the needs of young people living in rural and urban areas is crucial, as rural areas can have limited access to social services, such as social housing. Conversely, young people in urban areas often face scarcity of adequate accommodation that contributes to unaffordable housing. Policy measures could include subsidies to renovate abandoned housing stock in rural regions, and rental incentives to make unoccupied dwellings in urban areas available on the market.
Integrating youth perspectives into relevant policies, including housing is key. As youth housing intersects with social, housing, education and youth policies – to name a few – integrating youth perspectives can ensure targeted interventions and increase the visibility and relevance of youth housing issues. Linking housing to youth employment schemes, students’ mobility programmes or social inclusion initiatives would be crucial for this.
Facilitating long-term housing for young migrants and refugees is important, as they are one of the least targeted groups by national housing policies and face structural and administrative barriers that limit their access to public housing support. Eligibility for assistance often excludes many migrants and refugees, particularly recent arrivals, as it requires years of residence or local registration. Housing programmes for migrants and refugees often do not adequately address long-term housing. Discrimination in the private housing market also increases their risk of inadequate housing and homelessness. To help, national measures could focus on facilitating long-term housing for young migrants and refugees by reducing the administrative burden and combatting housing discrimination. Establishing the same eligibility criteria for refugees as for nationals for the allocation of public housing, and monitoring housing discrimination would also protect young migrants and refugees from unfair practices.
