New task force on housing

CEMR strengthens the voice of local and regional governments in Europe’s housing agenda 

With housing fast becoming one of Europe’s most pressing social and economic challenges, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has launched a new Task Force on Housing to shape the local and regional contribution to the EU’s forthcoming European Affordable Housing Plan but also beyond the EU agenda, to foster exchanges within CEMR membership to consolidate the voice of local and regional governments on the housing crisis. The new task force is bringing together close to 30 housing experts from 11 European countries.  

What European solutions to local challenges?  

At its inaugural meeting on 3 October 2025, participants highlighted how the housing crisis takes different forms across Europe: from overheated urban markets and speculative investment in short-term rentals, to depopulation and poor housing quality in rural areas. Despite these diverse contexts, all agreed that housing is a human right and that local governments must have the means and autonomy to act. 

Members discussed how the EU can best support local and regional efforts through more accessible financing, simplified permitting, stronger subsidiarity, and fairer fiscal rules, without replacing or duplicating existing national and local initiatives As one participant put it, “We need to define what the EU can add to national and local support systems to housing and look where local expertise could lead.”  
 
The task force also exchanged with Matthew Baldwin, Deputy Director General at the European Commission Directorate General for Energy, responsible of the Commission’s own task force on housing. He presented the European Commission’s vision for the European Affordable Housing Plan, emphasising that affordability, sustainability, and decent living standards are now recognised as core EU priorities. He invited CEMR and its members to contribute to the public consultation. 

What are the priorities of local and regional governments on housing? 

From the first meeting of the CEMR housing task force, some common messages already emerged:  

• A multi-level governance approach, respecting subsidiarity and proportionality in all EU housing and urban policies; 

• Long-term, flexible, and accessible financing tailored to both urban and rural needs; 

• Reformed fiscal rules to give municipalities more autonomy and capacity to invest; 

• Simplified permitting and planning frameworks that reduce delays without compromising democratic accountability; 

• And a holistic view linking housing to energy efficiency, mobility, and access to public services — ensuring that every home is part of a sustainable, inclusive community. 

In the discussion that followed, participants stressed that “housing cannot be solved through construction alone. It must be part of a wider territorial vision that connects affordable homes with climate neutrality, social inclusion, and quality of life.”  

CEMR will build on these messages to consolidate a European local and regional vision to address the housing crisis. By coordinating local and regional voices, CEMR aims to ensure that Europe’s response to the housing crisis fully recognises the essential role of municipalities and regions: those who plan, build and care for their inhabitants.