The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many cracks in our society, from the
unequal and unprepared public health policies to the dramatic lack of
social cohesion. A particular issue has truly come home to roost:
housing inequality has been dramatically emphasized by the current
health emergency. When we were all housebound for weeks on end, far too
many people were locked down in poor-standard, overcrowded or unhealthy
spaces. In addition to this, many did not have the means to pay their
energy bill to heat their homes, and most did not see nor have access to
nature for months.
The European Union has been going through a systemic housing crisis for a
long time now, which has its root causes in a structural shortage of
affordable, public and social housing and from the lack of public
investment. However, the housing issue interconnects with three other
major crises that need to be tackled simultaneously: the social crisis,
the climate crisis and the economic crisis.
With over 50 million people overburdened by housing costs, social
housing waiting lists at an all-time high, and 700,000 people sleeping
rough every night in the streets of Europe, it is clear that fixing the
housing crisis will mean putting the focus on social inequality in our
society.
Read more at:
Affordable and sustainable housing must become a priority of Europe’s recovery plan – EURACTIV.com
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