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UNECE study shows that housing is the least affordable human right

“Access to decent and affordable housing is a fundamental human need and right. However, housing is the least affordable human right.” This is the main finding of the study Models, challenges and trends in social housing in the UNECE region, presented at the 75th session of the UNECE Committee on Housing and Land Management on 8 October 2014 in Geneva.

The study suggests how to address the need for affordable and healthy housing, in particular, for vulnerable groups. The global financial crisis has made access to decent and affordable housing increasingly difficult for a growing share of the population in the UNECE region. At least 100 million low- and middle- income people in the region are housing cost overburdened (i.e. in Europe they spend more than 40 percent of their disposable income on housing, in Canada more than 30 percent and in U.S.A. from 30 to 50 percent of their pre-tax income).  In addition, as housing takes up an increasing percentage of household income, other basic human needs, such as food and adequate healthcare, are also becoming increasingly unaffordable. 

Social housing systems have changed dramatically in the wake of the global financial crisis, the transition of many countries in the region to a market economy, and following more than 30 years of deregulation and privatization of the social housing stock in Western Europe. In countries with transition economies, the privatization of public housing has reduced the availability of welfare instruments to address the housing needs of the poor and other vulnerable groups. The economic crisis has affected middle-income earners across the globe, resulting in an increased rate of mortgage defaults and, consequently, increased homelessness and demand for social housing.At the same time, austerity measures have reduced investments in social housing. 

In response to increased concerns among member States about the lack of affordable housing, the study identifies key challenges and important trends in social housing in the region and provides recommendations for the development of future policies which could help member States to improve access to adequate, affordable, healthy and good-quality housing for all.

The social housing study shows that the quality and appropriateness of social and affordable housing is challenging. In several countries there is a lack of rental housing, in some a lack of housing designed to meet special needs such as those of the elderly and people with disabilities and, in others, there is a general housing shortage. In addition, an increasing part of the population is finding it difficult to afford housing-related utility bills such as electricity, heating and water; housing cost overburden leads to decreased investment in maintenance which in turns causes health hazards such as asthma, allergies, tuberculosis, and lung cancer all of which contribute to increased mortality.

This increased need is one of the two main challenges identified in the study, the other being the reduced availability of funds to meet these needs. 

The study suggests how to address the lack of affordable housing and fundamental housing market failures, including a reassessment of the links between the financial and housing markets. It proposes, as well, an integrated approach that focuses on social housing investment and budget expenditure, energy efficiency, utility bills and health, among other issues. It also looks at: how to promote better social housing governance; developing public-private-partnerships for cost efficiency; shifting from home ownership focused to tenure neutral policies; increasing housing supply and housing choice; and making available housing that is appropriate for the needs of different population groups, including an aging population and the young.

For more information, please contact:
Gulnara Roll, Head
Housing and Land Management Unit
Economic Cooperation, Trade, and Land Management Division
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +41 (0)22 917 22 57

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United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Information Unit

Tel.: +41 (0) 22 917 12 34

Email: [email protected]

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