The affordable housing initiative is part of the Commission's renovation wave strategy for Europe, which aims to green buildings, create jobs and improve lives. This strategy intends to at least double renovation rates in the EU by breaking down long-standing barriers to energy and resource-efficient renovation as well as improving reuse and recycling. By 2030, the construction sector could see 35 million renovated buildings and up to 160,000 additional green jobs.
The affordable housing initiative
The renovation wave will support new investments over a sustained period, starting with public and less efficient buildings. These will spur digitalisation and creating employment and growth opportunities across the renovation supply chain.
As part of this strategy, the affordable housing initiative works to make sure social and affordable housing facilities also benefit from the renovation wave. It will guarantee local social housing projects’ access to necessary technical and innovation capacity and project support by
- piloting 100 lighthouse renovation districts with a smart neighbourhood approach focused on liveability and innovation, also providing blueprints for replication
- mobilising cross-sectoral project partnerships and linking them to local actors, such as social economy, SMEs, local authorities, housing associations and civil society
- promoting efficient access and use of innovative processes such as circular and modular building as well as social innovation and engagement models to empower residents in the renovation process
Related policies
The affordable housing initiative is in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights under principle 19 ‘housing and assistance for the homeless’, as well as in the cohesion policy 2021-2027 objectives, including
- objective1 on a smarter Europe, through innovation, digitisation and support for small and medium-sized enterprises
- objective 2 on a greener, carbon-free Europe, covering energy transition, renewables and the fight against climate change
- objective 4 on a more social Europe, through quality employment, education, skills and social inclusion
- objective 5 on a Europe closer to citizens, by supporting locally-led development strategies and sustainable urban development across the EU
The affordable housing initiative further aligns with the cohesion policy as it supports locally-led development strategies and empowers local authorities in managing funds. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) allocates 8% to strengthening sustainable urban development, supporting the cohesion policy's urban dimension.
As part of this, the new European urban initiative will support innovative actions, capacity and knowledge building, policy development and communication on sustainable urban development.
From 2015 to 2018, the housing partnership of the urban agenda analysed challenges faced by EU countries, regions, cities, and social and European affordable housing providers. The affordable housing initiative addresses their outcomes and conclusions included in their action plan.
The affordable housing initiative is in line with several other EU-level actions and initiatives, including
- the housing for all citizens' initiative on aiding access to housing
- the Committee of Regions' opinions on housing
- the European Economic and Social Committee's opinions on housing
- the European Parliament's resolution on maximising the energy efficiency of EU buildings
- the European Parliament's resolution on decent and affordable housing for all
Finally, we built the affordable housing initiative in synergy with the new European Bauhaus. The core values of the new European Bauhaus are sustainability, aesthetics and inclusiveness. We aim to combine design, sustainability, accessibility, affordability and investment to help deliver the European Green Deal.
Calls delivering on the Affordable housing initiative
Currently open calls
Horizon Europeframework programme (HORIZON)
Affordable housing district demonstrator (IA) – open for applications: until 20 April 2023
Ongoing projects and outcomes from previous calls
Affordable housing initiative (SMP-COSME-2021-HOUS) – ongoing project (March 2022-March2024)
The European Affordable Housing Consortium (SHAPE-EU) supports local industrial partnerships composed of SMEs, public, social, and cooperative housing providers, public authorities, and other relevant actors that engage in the renovation or construction of 20 lighthouse districts. They pay particular attention to innovative approaches, like smart and circular technologies, engagement models for tenants, and multi-stakeholder partnerships. The ten partners of the consortium work with local communities and experts to shape the EU affordable housing initiative by creating blueprints for replication, capacity building, and advice for the 20 districts across Europe.
See more on how to get support from and join the project
Social and affordable housing district demonstrator (IA) – closed : 3 ongoing projects (launched in autumn 2022)
drOp – Digitally enabled social district renovation processes for age-friendly environments driving social innovation and local economic development
The project drOp will develop an integrated renovation methodology to transform social housing districts into inclusive smart neighbourhoods. It will guide constructive, energy and digital updates to improve the urban space, accessibility, and residents’ quality of life. The project will guarantee connectivity in physical, social and digital areas and explore the growth creation potential of cultural and creative industries (CCIs). The methodology will be tested in the Santa Ana neighbourhood in Ermua (Spain) while experience and inputs from the peer cities of Matera (Italy) and Elva (Estonia) will provide replicability conditions to support similar projects in other districts.
ProLight – Progressive lighthouse districts serving as green district gate towards Leadership in sustainability
Under ProLight, a standardised approach will be piloted in six demo sites and energy communities that will act as urban incubators of technological, social, regulatory and market solutions. The common goal of the project is to identify proper methodologies fostering European lighthouse and pocket districts, providing blueprints for replication and creating energy and climate-aware communities. The approach to the districts is twofold as the project will focus on building and renovating in an energy and resource-efficient way in Austria, Finland and Greece while engaging with energy communities in Spain, Italy and Portugal combined in so-called Innovation clusters.
See more on the ProLight project
SUPERSHINE
SUPERSHINE lighthouse districts in Trieste (Italy), Herning (Denmark) and Riga (Latvia) will be characterised by energy-efficient buildings, low-carbon mobility, smart grids, and efficient water and waste management. This is underpinned by responsive technologies that optimise resources while promoting well-being and sustainable lifestyles. The project will address several areas of intervention such as incentivizing owners and tenants to undertake energy renovations, developing innovative bottom-up financial solutions, involving local SMEs and promoting integrated renovation processes. The project will also support the sustainable energy transition of fellow districts in Setúbal (Portugal), Belgrade (Serbia), Zaragoza (Spain) and Kadikoy (Turkey).
- 2022 edition – ‘The future of living, innovation for affordable, and sustainable housing districts’: meet the winners of the two award categories for the 2022 edition
- 2023 edition – ‘Fighting energy poverty’: applications not open at the moment