French Minister Addresses Housing Crisis in Brussels
Valérie Létard seeks EU support for France's housing issues amid rising concerns across Europe.
On March 25, 2025, Valérie Létard, the French Minister of Housing, is scheduled to travel to Brussels to meet with Dan Jorgensen, the new European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, as well as Roxana Minzatu, the Vice President of the European Commission.
The meeting aims to highlight the deteriorating housing conditions in France and to advocate for increased financial resources to support construction and renovation projects.
The crisis in housing has become a pressing issue across the European continent, with various countries experiencing significant challenges.
In Barcelona, housing is now the second most significant concern for residents, following security.
London has witnessed an 11% increase in rental prices in 2024, while Germany’s regulatory measures aimed at controlling rents have not yielded the anticipated results.
Meanwhile, France faces a particularly severe situation, compounded by lengthy waiting lists for social housing and increasing measures against short-term rentals, such as Airbnb, which are perceived to worsen the housing shortage.
This upcoming dialogue aligns with a broader initiative by the European Commission and the European Parliament, who organized a joint conference in Brussels to begin addressing the housing crisis.
Commissioner Jorgensen emphasized that this conference marks the start of a collective effort to seek solutions across the member states, indicating a commitment to finding a unified approach.
The challenges facing the housing sector in Europe have prompted discussions about reforming existing frameworks related to state aid and subsidies.
These discussions are part of the broader Clean Industry Pact, which aims to reshape the EU's subsidy regulations to better equip European industry to compete amidst ongoing geopolitical economic shifts.
As housing continues to rise as a priority issue for citizens across cities in Europe, Létard's engagement in Brussels underscores the urgency of collaborative measures to improve housing accessibility and affordability.
The meeting aims to highlight the deteriorating housing conditions in France and to advocate for increased financial resources to support construction and renovation projects.
The crisis in housing has become a pressing issue across the European continent, with various countries experiencing significant challenges.
In Barcelona, housing is now the second most significant concern for residents, following security.
London has witnessed an 11% increase in rental prices in 2024, while Germany’s regulatory measures aimed at controlling rents have not yielded the anticipated results.
Meanwhile, France faces a particularly severe situation, compounded by lengthy waiting lists for social housing and increasing measures against short-term rentals, such as Airbnb, which are perceived to worsen the housing shortage.
This upcoming dialogue aligns with a broader initiative by the European Commission and the European Parliament, who organized a joint conference in Brussels to begin addressing the housing crisis.
Commissioner Jorgensen emphasized that this conference marks the start of a collective effort to seek solutions across the member states, indicating a commitment to finding a unified approach.
The challenges facing the housing sector in Europe have prompted discussions about reforming existing frameworks related to state aid and subsidies.
These discussions are part of the broader Clean Industry Pact, which aims to reshape the EU's subsidy regulations to better equip European industry to compete amidst ongoing geopolitical economic shifts.
As housing continues to rise as a priority issue for citizens across cities in Europe, Létard's engagement in Brussels underscores the urgency of collaborative measures to improve housing accessibility and affordability.
