European perspectives on housing and housing exclusion: the role of the future European Affordable Housing Plan

Abstract

The article analyses the evolution of the European Union’s role in housing and residential exclusion, from the progressive recognition of the right to housing in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Pillar of Social Rights, to recent governance and financing initiatives. Particular attention is paid to the Future European Affordable Housing Plan. From a critical perspective, the opportunities and risks presented by the Plan for moving towards greater coherence between housing policy and the fight against homelessness are assessed. Finally, it identifies the remaining challenges for the effective realisation of the right to housing in the EU, emphasising the need to strengthen social. The analysis also examines the Plan’s interaction with other strategic frameworks, including the green transition of the building stock and the future European Strategy for Combating Poverty, and highlights the importance of effective multi-level governance.