What changed between the plenary report and the adopted text

27. Encourages the Commission and the EIB to include strict, transparent, inclusive and fair allocation mechanisms, as well as social and sustainable conditions for the final beneficiaries of EU funds and financial instruments; stresses that a balanced approach involving both public or not-for-profit housing and private sector participation through public-private partnerships should be pursued to optimise housing stock and ensure efficient use of resources; takes the view that affordable housing programmes may include – but should not be limited to – public ownership of properties, land and buildings owned by central and local public authorities; considers, to this end, that public entities should be allowed to have access to the private sector, under the supervision of the public authorities, while also ensuring strong support for social housing providers and other not-for-profit entities engaged in the provision of affordable housing; underscores the importance of prioritising the lowest income groups that are disproportionately affected by the cost of housing;

Housing affordability in the future cohesion policy beyond 2027

28. Notes that investment in affordable, decent, accessible and sustainable housing, including measures such as social, public and not-for-profit housing and affordable rental schemes for vulnerable people, low- and middle-income households and particularly large families, should be one of the strategic priorities of the upcoming EU cohesion funds under the next multiannual financial framework post 2027 and that the renovation wave strategy must be anchored into regular CP programmes to ensure its continuity without imposing excessive burdens on property owners; stresses the need for binding accessibility standards and universal design in all EU-funded housing projects, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, prioritising investment in housing adaptations, smart assistive technologies, and renovations that enable independent living; stresses the need to pay particular attention to young and future generations, especially in areas where most young people are not economically independent and continue living in the family home, particularly students and early-career professionals, by supporting them in starting an independent life;

29. Calls on the Commission to develop comprehensive guidance and recommendations for the Member States on leveraging integrated multi-fund approaches to support large-scale investments in affordable and social housing, related infrastructure and community-based services that promote social inclusion and territorial cohesion; stresses the importance of using an appropriate mix of grants and financial instruments, recognising that grants are key for supporting social inclusion measures for tenants; considers that, alongside CP financing, other instruments such as Horizon Europe can support research and development projects in the construction sector and related technologies to address the housing crisis; calls on the Commission to work closely with national and regional authorities to simplify funding rules, streamline application procedures and provide quicker access to funds for affordable housing projects;

30. Notes that investment in affordable and sustainable housing for populations in areas with particular demographic characteristics should be another of the strategic priorities of the upcoming EU cohesion funds under the next multiannual financial framework from 2027;

31. Calls on the Commission to ensure that any financing of affordable housing will not endanger climate spending contributions within the CP framework;

32. Underlines the importance of protecting historical city centres and preserving European historic and cultural heritage when designing housing and energy efficiency initiatives; highlights the enormous potential for the sustainable renovation of empty and old buildings, emphasising resource efficiency, the provision of affordable housing, and the strengthening of social cohesion, particularly in villages and small communities; calls for CP to actively support energy-efficient renovations and investment in affordable housing that promotes net-zero emissions in line with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive; calls, further, for incentives, including fiscal and technical support for local and regional authorities, to promote the renovation and reuse of unused or abandoned buildings, increasing the housing supply without additional land use;

33. Emphasises the urgent need to address the housing challenges faced by young people, who encounter increasing barriers to accessing affordable housing, particularly in high-demand urban areas and regions with high youth unemployment; underlines the need to integrate the Social Climate Fund more closely with CP instruments, particularly in supporting investment in social and affordable housing and targeted assistance to make rents more affordable for young people; stresses the importance of integrating young people and young families into national housing strategies and calls for tailored measures, including fiscal incentives, low-interest loans, rent guarantees and extensive guarantees to support first-time homebuyers; encourages the Member States to explore tax incentives for property owners who rent to young people or families under long-term contracts, helping to expand the rental market and stabilise prices; advocates the use of CP instruments to increase investment in student accommodation and affordable housing, ensuring access to stable housing opportunities supported by public transport, basic services and education, especially for young people from low-income households; suggests, therefore, that the future ESF+ post 2027 should aid housing access for young people through endorsements or other financial schemes in order to make borrowing more affordable;

34. Calls, furthermore, on the Commission to include in the future CP the promotion of territorial resilience and support for communities and families, especially in rural and islands areas through the provision of resilient housing that can withstand the impact of natural disasters and the effects of unexpected events, particularly in regions that are highly exposed to the impact of extreme weather events related to climate change; asks for EU funds to support housing reconstruction in the event of natural disasters and to promote the building back better principle; considers that climate risks disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, further hampering the ability of vulnerable groups to recover from disasters;

35. Believes that affordable housing support should prioritise conversions and renovations over new builds, and should promote climate-neutral, resource-efficient construction methods, collective housing and green mobility, to improve quality of life; stresses the need for all EU-funded housing investment to align with the European Green Deal objectives by ensuring high energy efficiency standards, reducing energy poverty and incorporating climate adaptation measures; calls on the Commission to urgently revise Annex I to the Common Provisions Regulation and, based on its examination, to recognise investment in social, affordable and sustainable housing as contributing to climate objectives, enabling Member States to meet ERDF climate-spending targets of 30 %; calls for a sustainable construction sector with the support of CP, using bio-based materials and true-cost pricing, including maintenance and environmental costs; stresses the importance, in this context, of strengthening the polluter-pays principle and promoting decarbonisation to achieve European Green Deal and Paris Agreement goals;

36. Proposes including in the future CP increased funding for housing on the basis of national, regional and local strategies on affordable and sustainable housing for vulnerable, low- and middle-income households, multi-child and single-parent families, including social and assisted living solutions for persons with disabilities and elderly people; recognises the role of local and regional authorities in developing these strategies; insists that this funding should contribute to social cohesion across the EU; recalls the importance of strong rural-urban linkages and the need for particular support for women in rural areas;

37. Calls on the Commission to include ending homelessness, combating inadequate housing and addressing energy poverty among the lowest income populations as explicit political objectives in the post-2027 CP, with robust funding dedicated to these priorities; calls, further, for housing access and associated services to be considered a key area within the future policy objectives, with a strong focus on supporting future generations and the urban agenda; stresses that housing-related measures funded by CP must respond to the needs and specificities of regional and local authorities and contribute to the cohesion goals of the Treaties; proposes that the Commission link investment in transportation and utility services with the provision of affordable housing. to ensure that beneficiaries have adequate access to essential services, and calls on the Member States to ensure consistency between national policies on housing, transportation and utilities;

38. Calls on the Commission and the EIB to include in the future CP a specific duration requirement, from a sustainability perspective, for operations involving investment in affordable and sustainable housing infrastructure from the CP funds, in order to avoid property speculation; takes the view that the Commission should create a legal framework enabling land and homes benefiting from EU funds to remain in the ownership or, as applicable, the management of public administrations, social housing providers and other not-for-profit entities, so that the final beneficiaries of the funds and the end users of these should retain ownership of the houses;

39. Recommends the inclusion of long-term conditions for beneficiaries of CP funds for affordable housing to support the right to stay in rent-controlled areas in cities, particularly in areas experiencing housing pressure due to tourism, gentrification or investment speculation, including inner cities, islands, outermost regions and coastal areas, without unduly disadvantaging legitimate real estate activities; recommends also the exclusion of short-term speculative investors by establishing safeguards against short-term speculative acquisitions, including restrictions on rapid resale; underlines the importance of ensuring the right to stay of citizens in areas suffering from a lack of suitable and affordable housing; calls on the Commission to issue specific guidelines on how to implement and enforce this principle across EU policies; calls for stronger integration of this principle as a cross-cutting principle in all EU policies, so that they support the objectives of social, economic and territorial cohesion, as set out in Articles 3 and 174 TFEU;

41. Recalls that CP should encourage collaboration between architects, urban planners, promoters, engineers, construction workers and other professionals to ensure a holistic approach to urban and rural development and to contribute to solving the ongoing housing crises;

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42. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Committee of the Regions and the national and regional parliaments of the Member States.