Affordable housing has become one of the defining challenges young people are facing across Europe. Rising rents, limited housing supply and increasing living costs are making it harder for many young Europeans to move out of the family home, pursue education and training opportunities, or access employment in another city or country. 

Recognising the growing urgency of this issue, the European Commission has placed housing higher on the European policy agenda. At the same time, new evidence highlights the disproportionate impact of the housing crisis on younger generations, raising concerns about social fairness and equal opportunities. 

In this interview, Normunds Popens, Deputy Director-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, and Matthew Baldwin, Head of the European Commission’s Housing Taskforce, discuss why housing has become a key European concern, how it affects young people’s lives and opportunities, and what actions the European Commission is taking to address this challenge. 

Interviewer: Access to housing is a fast-growing social challenge across Europe. What is the EU perspective on it, and what is the European Commission doing to address this issue? 

Matthew Baldwin: Thanks for the opportunity to discuss this critical issue. The Housing Taskforce, which I lead, was created in February 2025 to respond to the growing political pressures on Europe to tackle the housing crisis. As President von der Leyen has stated, if this is an issue for Europeans, it’s also an issue for Europe. We are conscious, however, that housing is primarily the competence of Member States, and our role is coordinating and supporting. 

We spent the last year listening to Member States and stakeholders and presented the first-ever European Affordable Housing Plan (EAHP) in December. The EAHP is the first tool at the EU level to tackle the housing crisis that hits young people the hardest. It focuses on mobilizing investment specifically for student housing and promoting innovative housing models that cater to young and mobile students. We aim to deliver holistic, sustainable solutions that ensure accessible, affordable, and adequate housing. 

Normunds Popens: Absolutely, Matthew. The report on Youth access to affordable and quality housing shows that almost one quarter of young Europeans see housing affordability as their biggest worry, while more than 1 in 10 spend over 40% of their income on housing. This challenge has significant consequences on equal access to education, training, and youth opportunities across Europe. 

Currently, 27% of young people aged 15–29 are living in overcrowded housing. Housing affordability has become one of the most visible intergenerational challenges in Europe. It is an issue that has been 'youth mainstreamed' to ensure that the views and concerns of young people are taken into account when the European Commission puts forth its policy proposals. 

Interviewer: How is the housing challenge affecting equal access to education and training, and what role can education and youth policies play in addressing these issues? 

Normunds Popens: Housing emerged as a key concern throughout the consultation process on intergenerational fairness as part of the Youth Check process. The issue also featured prominently during the European Citizens’ Panel on Intergenerational Fairness, which brought together 150 randomly selected citizens calling for affordable and dignified living conditions for all. 

As for student housing, only a small fraction of students has access to purpose-built student accommodation. The majority are forced to access the increasingly expensive general rental market or remain with their parents and families. This impacts university and programme choices, exacerbates socio-economic and regional inequalities, and can have detrimental consequences on academic success. 

Matthew Baldwin: That's a crucial point, Normunds. The EAHP sets out specific actions to support young people and students in accessing affordable housing. For instance, together with the European Investment Bank, the Commission is assessing the feasibility of a guarantee scheme to reduce or eliminate the need for a security deposit. We are also developing a study to identify and disseminate innovative accommodation models and targeted schemes to improve access to housing for young people. 

Under Erasmus+, the Commission is developing a housing pilot scheme for mobile students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This initiative aims to directly support mobile students and provide long-term structural actions in partnership with local, regional, and national authorities and other housing stakeholders. 

Interviewer: Housing policy often sits across different sectors: energy, social policy, education, employment, and regional development. How important is cross-sector cooperation, and what role can stakeholders from the education and youth fields play? 

Normunds Popens: Youth empowerment is at the heart of the Youth Check process. The European Commission takes into account the impact its proposed policies have on Europe’s young people. This is done through a wide range of consultation mechanisms, such as the EU Youth Dialogue, Youth Policy Dialogues, the Youth Presidential Advisory Board, and the EU Youth Stakeholders Group. These ensure that youth participation delivers more effective and equitable policies while strengthening democratic engagement and promoting a shared responsibility in building a more fair and inclusive Union of Skills. 

Specifically concerning student housing, we are committed to helping higher education institutions and Member States invest in the expansion and renovation of student dormitories. We are also looking at solutions for students that rent in the private market, notably by studying the creation of a possible student housing guarantee scheme that reduces or eliminates the need for proving a security deposit. 

Matthew Baldwin: Indeed, the Commission is going to fully involve stakeholders in all our future work on housing. At the recent Informal Housing Ministerial under the Cypriot Presidency, our Commissioner Dan Jørgensen launched the Housing Alliance to achieve this. Via this platform, the Commission can facilitate peer learning and innovation in tackling issues such as housing speculation, building on local and national experiences. We will help Member States exchange best practices on effective taxation policies, financing models of social and affordable housing, student housing provision, construction techniques, just to name a few. The Alliance is open to all stakeholders, and we urge everyone to participate. 

Interviewer: The report highlights that income requirements exclude many unemployed young people from housing schemes, emphasizing the need for more inclusive approaches. How is the European Commission addressing the link between affordable housing, skills development, competitiveness, and social fairness? 

Normunds Popens: Within the “fair places” pillar of the Strategy on Intergenerational Fairness, the Commission commits to safeguarding and regenerating public spaces to strengthen social cohesion and sustainability. This is pursued notably through the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative, its community-led activities, and further work on the role of public spaces in democratic resilience. 

Moreover, on 16 December 2025, the Commission presented a dedicated European Affordable Housing Package, which recognizes the long-term impacts of a lack of affordable housing on young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, in terms of access to education, traineeships, apprenticeships, and employment opportunities. Despite the EU’s limited competence in housing, these initiatives show how the Union is engaging with the topic. 

Matthew Baldwin: The EAHP emphasizes the importance of addressing housing challenges for young people, recognizing it as a critical aspect of social and environmental justice. Our Staff Working Document highlights that the housing crisis disproportionately affects youth, making affordable and sustainable housing a priority for climate and social policies. We are committed to delivering holistic, sustainable solutions that ensure accessible, affordable, and adequate housing for all young people. 

Interviewer: Thank you both for your insights. It's clear that addressing the housing crisis requires a multifaceted approach involving various sectors and stakeholders. Your efforts are crucial in ensuring that young people across Europe have access to affordable and quality housing. 

Matthew Baldwin & Normunds Popens: Thank you for having us. We look forward to continued collaboration and progress in this vital area. 

Interview by Anna Maria Volpe, Communication Advisor, EACEA