blue house in human's palmsThe Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released a policy brief highlighting the enduring housing affordability and quality gaps facing many households.

People living in poor quality housing or unsafe living conditions (such as overcrowding or homelessness) faced elevated health and safety risks, while workers experiencing sudden economic losses struggled to cover their monthly rent, mortgage or utility payments without assistance. The pandemic highlighted the urgency to address persistent housing vulnerabilities and homelessness, prompting many governments to introduce a range of emergency housing support measures.

The brief summarises the main characteristics, trends, challenges and opportunities in social housing. Section 1 provides an overview of a highly heterogeneous sector, summarising the distinguishing characteristics of social housing in the OECD and the EU. Section 2 outlines the main changes and challenges facing the sector, within the context of the broader housing market and social welfare system. Section 3 looks ahead to the opportunities for social housing in the coming years, in light of the renewed focus on affordable housing in national and supra-national policy discussions.

 

For more details on OECD’s findings, please read the full brief.

For more information on our advocacy efforts to eradicate homelessness, please read out latest public statement.