Trends and Change in Social Housing Finance and Provision within the European Union

Abstract

Despite the advent of European integration, the European Union exhibits considerable diversity in its social and economic arrangements in a number of important spheres, not least housing. EU national housing systems differ markedly and interact with national economic structures, welfare regimes, social trends and policy agendas. This paper focuses on the social rented sector and its financing. It maps out trends and sources of change, divergence and convergence across selected EU nations. The paper draws heavily on the UK experience and from secondary sources from other EU nations. The paper begins (after the introduction) with a brief critical description of the main ways social housing is organised in the EU. This is followed by an overview of social housing finance, public spending and subsidy mechanisms. The next section sets out some of the key challenges consequently facing the non-market sectors across the EU. The concluding discussion raises issues for further inquiry.