Dwane: Housing crisis is felt in rural communities too

The housing crisis is not only an urban phenomenon, but is also increasingly felt in rural communities, said Cllr Caroline Dwane during the European Committee of the Regions’ plenary debate on housing held this morning in the European Parliament.

Speaking during an exchange with Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank; Irene Tinagli, Chair of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union; Borja Giménez Larraz, European Parliament rapporteur on the housing crisis; and Marco Corradi, President of Housing Europe, Cllr Dwane stressed that affordability remains the central challenge for many communities.

She underlined that many people still struggle to access homes they can afford. In this context, she highlighted the importance of cost-rental housing as a practical solution for people who do not qualify for social housing but cannot afford private rents.

Ms Dwane welcomed the direction of the EU Affordable Housing Plan and the European Parliament’s report on decent, sustainable and affordable housing, but stressed that the real test will be implementation.

She called for new EIB and EU investment tools to be made accessible to county councils and smaller local authorities, not only large cities. She also underlined the need for revised State aid rules that can support the delivery of public, cost-rental, cooperative and non-profit housing at scale.

Finally, she stressed that renovation and energy-efficiency funding must deliver social benefits by cutting bills, improving accessibility and reducing energy poverty, without pushing up rents or displacing tenants.