High housing costs

Affordable housing: Vienna should serve as a model for the EU

Mayor Michael Ludwig, EU Parliament Vice-President Evelyn Regner and EESC President Oliver Röpke (from left to right)(Bild: Zwefo)

People all over Europe are complaining about high housing costs. Brussels must do more, say leading politicians in Vienna

70 percent of people in the European Union already live in cities - and the trend is rising. This makes the question of affordable housing increasingly urgent. Many people have difficulties paying their housing costs. The problem has long since reached the center of society. The EU has over 220 million households, and an alarming 82 million Europeans can no longer afford to live!

Municipal housing in Vienna is seen as a prime example worldwide.(Bild: Andreas Tischler)

To get cities and regions more involved in the issue, Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) initiated a European dialog at City Hall on Friday. Also present: Evelyn Regner, Vice-President of the EU Parliament and Oliver Röpke, President of the European Economic and Social Committee. EU Commissioner for Social Affairs Nicolas Schmit was connected live from Brussels via video. Together, they formulated an open letter to the European Parliament, the Commission and the Council. Tenor: more speed.

"Housing for the common good" is called for as a new approach to European housing policy. In addition to an annual summit and a dedicated group of experts in the EU Commission. And: once again, Vienna should serve as a European best-practice example of affordable housing. After all, the Viennese model of social housing is recognized throughout Europe and internationally. 60 percent of Viennese live in subsidized apartments or municipal housing.