Housing in Practice – Greece

Athens, Greece, has become one of Europe’s most visible examples of what happens when housing markets are left to financialisation and speculation. Soaring rents have made a home unaffordable for large parts of the population, while energy poverty places the burden on the most vulnerable households. Short-term rentals and financialisation of the housing stock have accelerated displacement, and the absence of social housing leaves many with few alternatives. At the same time, Greece has a long tradition of community self-organisation and cooperative thinking that is now finding new expression in collaborative housing models and collective ownership initiatives.

With the EU Affordable Housing Act due to be adopted on 15 September 2026 and an EU Housing Summit set for November under the Irish Presidency, there is political momentum to strengthen the EU’s efforts in tackling the housing crisis. To translate these commitments into meaningful change, it is crucial to learn from local examples.

Therefore, in the context of the PES Group in the Committee of the Regions (PES CoR) External Group Meeting and Speak Up School in Athens, FEPS, in partnership with ETERON and in support with PES CoR, PES, S&D, YES, and PES Women, will organise an expert exchange in the Municipality of Athens on 11 September 2026 between 14:30 – 16:30.

The event will bring together practitioners, politicians, and civil society representatives to examine what collaborative housing and collective ownership models, such as those developed by the research-advocacy group CoHab Athens, can offer as responses to the housing crisis.

This event is part of FEPS’ “Housing in Practice” series, a collaboration with FEPS members and progressive local and regional leaders, which offers a platform for housing actors on the ground, such as urban planners, architects, community land trusts and civil society, to engage and test their ideas with policymakers and experts.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact François Balate, FEPS Policy Analyst (francois.balate@feps-europe.eu) and Vanessa Zwisele, FEPS Project Officer (vanessa.zwisele@feps-europe.eu).