The Right to Stay Starts at Home: Housing Affordability for Stronger Territories

Access to affordable, quality housing is key to the right to stay. Rising housing costs, shortages and inequalities across Europe threaten community resilience, especially in border areas, shrinking regions, and urban centres. This ESPON-led workshop (with EIB and Housing Europe) will offer practical insights into how place-based housing policies can address diverse regional challenges and support territorial cohesion. It will present evidence from 10 case studies, from Helsinki, Cologne, Como and Bratislava to shrinking regions in Bulgaria and Romania, showing how strategic planning and financing tools (such as those supported by EIB) support sustainable, long-term housing solutions.