Housing the people

Policy Study

This policy study highlights the intersection of gentrification and the rise of the far right in gentrified and contested cities, departing from the observation that the current housing crises play a critical role in the rise of far-right sentiments in urban areas. It explores how broader urban challenges facing the EU are played out at the junction of gentrification, socio-economic inequalities and social fragmentation. These dynamics have disproportionately impacted marginalised communities by shrinking their spaces of political participation while simultaneously creating fertile ground for support for far-right actors.

To address these issues, the policy study advocates for local, national and European Union level policy interventions aimed at counteracting the adverse effects of gentrification, improving the availability and accessibility of housing, and revitalising communities.

It analyses interventions on different levels with a focus on the reassessment of the potential for policies that affect housing, mandating the preservation and expansion of social housing across member states, and including anti-displacement regulations to protect vulnerable populations from speculative real-estate practices.