At the World Urban Forum hosted by UN-Habitat in Cairo in early November, Housing Europe, as the leader of the Affordable Housing Initiative accelerator programme, shared its results, with our Director of Innovation, João Gonçalves, highlighting the innovative solutions emerging from it.
The “housing crisis” could be heard everywhere. From the United States to Australia, from Latin America to Africa. While presenting different underlying causes, the countries showcased very different resources to face it.
What immediately struck us was the massive investment China is able to mobilise for housing, highlighting their standardised approach to building high-density housing, which includes public participation to optimise community impact. Europe, too, drew significant interest, with Housing Europe organising a session on the Affordable Housing Initiative, showcasing successful community-focused projects.
Emmanuelle Cosse, President of the Union Sociale pour l’Habitat—a member of Housing Europe—highlighted France’s extensive experience in tackling housing challenges through robust state intervention. She outlined the evolution of social housing in France, from laws addressing 19th-century overcrowding to modern legislation such as the 2000 Solidarity and Urban Renewal Law, which mandates social housing quotas. Emphasising the Union Sociale pour l’Habitat’s role in managing 5 million housing units, she underscored the urgency of addressing rising housing costs and accelerating decarbonisation efforts. Cosse called for stronger EU-level investment and regulation to ensure housing is affordable, accessible, and sustainable, leaving no one behind.