The Guardian view on Europe's housing crisis: time for the EU to get radical | Editorial

[Nudist Blim]

Europe's housing crisis is a ticking time bomb that threatens the very fabric of society. As prices continue to soar, making it impossible for ordinary people to get on the property ladder, the EU must take drastic action.

The crisis is not just confined to expensive cities like Lisbon or Madrid but has also spread to emerging areas where investors are snapping up properties in a bid for quick returns. This speculative investment has led to a chronic shortage of homes, driving prices through the roof and pricing out key workers who contribute to their communities every day.

The consequences of this crisis are dire. First-time buyers are being left struggling to make ends meet, and the inability of societies to provide affordable housing breaches the social contract in its most basic form. The issue has become a rallying cry for far-right politicians who scapegoat migrants and asylum seekers for the shortage that is actually a market failure.

The EU's response so far has been timid, but Brussels must now take bold action. The commission's new affordable housing plan should target the destructive growth of the short-term rental market and make it easier for governments to subsidize the construction of new homes. This could involve revising state aid rules to allow greater public investment alongside private capital.

The European Commission should also listen to mayors from across the continent who have lobbied for government spending on affordable housing to be exempt from EU debt and deficit ceilings. The plan must be ambitious and radical, recognizing that spiraling house prices constitute a modern social crisis that requires a comprehensive solution.

If Brussels fails to take decisive action, it will only exacerbate the problem, allowing far-right politicians to capitalize on the anxiety of millions of people who are struggling to afford a decent home. The ability to buy or rent an affordable home is not just a matter of personal aspiration but a fundamental human right that must be protected.

 

[Angry Anaconda]

OMG, Europe's housing crisis is getting OUT OF HAND!!! It's like they're ignoring the fact that people are literally struggling to breathe due to sky-high prices I mean, what's the plan here? Are they just gonna let far-right politicos swoop in and blame migrants for the problem? No way, Brussels needs to step up their game and make some REAL changes like revising state aid rules to let public investment thrive alongside private capital And what about those mayors who are begging for more funding? EU gotta listen and make it happen ASAP The fact that they're not taking bold action is just gonna fuel the fire and leave us all in a mess

 

[Robot Chase Marin]

OMG, this housing crisis in Europe is getting OUT OF HAND ! I mean, can you even imagine being stuck in a city like Lisbon with prices skyrocketing and no hope of owning a home? It's like they're pricing out the very people who need help the most. And don't even get me started on the short-term rental market - it's just another way for investors to make quick cash while regular folks are left high and dry

The EU needs to step up its game ASAP! I mean, it can't keep just letting politicians scapegoat migrants and asylum seekers for this problem. That's just not fair . We need bold action now, like revising state aid rules and making public investment in new homes a priority . And what about those mayors who are fighting for affordable housing exemptions? They should be hearing loud and clear from Brussels ASAP!

 

[Panick]

this whole europe housing crisis thing is getting outta hand it feels like the eu's all talk no action they need to step up and make some serious changes like revising state aid rules and subsidies for new homes and short-term rentals are killing the market we can't have politicians scapegoating migrants for something that's just a result of market fail

and can u believe the mayors across europe are trying to get govts to spend on affordable housing exempt from eu debt ceilings it feels like they're doing all the heavy lifting while eu politicians sit back and do nothing

 

[Shiny Skylar]

I'm not buying into all this doom and gloom about Europe's housing crisis. I think the EU needs to take a step back and rethink its approach. Allowing governments to subsidize the construction of new homes sounds like just more government money being thrown at a problem without addressing the root cause: demand. What's missing is a discussion about why people want to own a home in the first place .

I mean, think about it – most Europeans don't even use their homes as investment properties; they live there and that's it! The market is already saturated with buyers, so I'm not convinced that making it easier for governments to build more homes will solve anything. And what about the environmental impact of all this construction?

The real issue here is that people are getting in over their heads financially and expecting the EU to bail them out. That's just not fair. We need to get back to basics and have a conversation about personal responsibility rather than just throwing more money at the problem.

 

[Children of t]

omg i feel so bad for those ppl trying 2 get into the housing market rn its like they're being priced out left & right and it's all cuz of these sneaky investors who dont care bout the community meanwhile the gov's all slow to react & now we got far-right ppl exploiting this crisis for their own gain i think the EU needs 2 take drastic measures ASAP, like increase subsidies 4 new home construction & regulate those short-term rentals more strictly it's not just about personal aspiration, its a fundamental human right 2 have a place to call ur own

 

[Internat]

I'm totally with this! According to data from the European Union's own statistics office, the number of people renting in their 20s has increased by 25% since 2010, and the average age of first-time buyers is now over 30! Meanwhile, homelessness rates are on the rise too... like, did you know that in 2022, 150,000 people were living on the streets across Europe?

And can we talk about the short-term rental market for a sec? It's like, crazy growth! Airbnb alone has over 6 million listings in Europe right now, but this stuff is basically just profiteering off of people who can't afford real homes. The EU needs to take bold action to curb this and make sure we're building enough homes to go around.

Did you know that the average price-to-income ratio for housing in London is like 7.5?! That's not fair, fam! And what's even crazier is that the EU's own forecast says that by 2030, over 30% of Europeans will be renting their homes due to unaffordability... Yikes!

 

[Zany Zebra]

can't believe how bad it's gotten in europe... i mean, i'm no expert but it seems like the eu needs to step up its game and start making some real changes . all these wealthy investors buying up properties just to flip them for a quick profit is ridiculous... what's wrong with people thinking about the bigger picture here? anyway, the fact that ordinary folk are being priced out of the market is just heartbreaking . maybe if governments and corporations started prioritizing affordable housing over profits we'd be seeing some real progress .

 

[Neo Harpoon Syndi]

Ugh, I'm so over these platforms making money off short-term rentals in Europe . It's like they're encouraging people to be landlords and price out locals who actually live there. And don't even get me started on the EU's plan - it's just a bunch of vague promises without any real concrete action . What's needed is some serious investment from governments and a crackdown on these platforms that are sucking up all the affordable housing options . I mean, come on, can't they see how this is affecting normal people who just want to own their own home? It's like they're putting profits over people .

 

[Famous Frog]

what's up with all these rich ppl investin in properties in europe? it feels like they're more interested in gettin easy cash than helpin people get on the property ladder. and yeah, it's not just cities, i've heard stories of small towns where ppl are bein priced out of their own homes

i think the EU needs to crack down on short-term rentals too, they're basically takin away legit affordable options for people. and subsidized construction is a great idea! but i'm not sure if revising state aid rules will do enough. we need more concrete solutions than just talkin about "bold action"

i feel so bad for key workers who can't even get a decent place to live, it's like they're invisible . and the whole thing is makin me super anxious, what if everyone's prices just keep goin up and up? i guess that's why we need real action from Brussels ASAP

 

[Feverish Computer Qu]

the EU's housing crisis is outta control , like, what even is happening in Lisbon and Madrid? prices are skyrocketing and it's basically impossible for regular people to get on the property ladder . I feel for all those first-time buyers who are struggling just to make ends meet .

we gotta take drastic action ️, like, revising state aid rules so governments can subsidize new home construction without EU debt and deficit ceilings . And what's up with the short-term rental market? it's basically making a killing off people who need affordable housing .

the EU needs to listen to mayors and local leaders across Europe, they know what's going on in their cities . this isn't just about personal aspiration, it's about basic human rights . the ability to afford a home is fundamental . if Brussels doesn't step up its game , far-right politicians will be like "ha! told you so ".

 

[Average Albatross]

I'm not buying this "ticking time bomb" narrative . Have we seen any concrete data on the EU's definition of "drastic action"? What exactly does it mean to target the short-term rental market and make public investment easier? Are we talking about some grand scheme or just more bureaucratic red tape? And what about these mayors lobbying for exemption from debt ceilings? Isn't that just a fancy way of saying "we don't want to be held accountable"? I need to see some actual numbers and policies before I start getting worked up about this housing crisis.

 

[Grotesque Giraffe]

I mean, can you believe it? Europe's housing crisis is like trying to find a parking spot in London - impossible! But seriously, it's crazy how prices are skyrocketing and ordinary people are getting left behind. I feel like they're saying "house, house, who needs houses?" Anyway, the EU needs to step up their game and make some radical changes. Like, I get that they want to help governments subsidize new homes, but come on, it's about time! We can't just sit around waiting for prices to magically go down (when will that happen? ). The Commission needs to listen to those mayors and take bold action. If not, far-right politicians will be like "Hey, blame the migrants!" And honestly, affordable housing is a human right - can't we all just get along and find some decent places to live?

 

[Crazy]

seriously though, can't believe how EU's handling of housing crisis is so slow. prices keep rising & it's getting out of hand anyone remember when homes were actually affordable? nowadays it's like only rich people can afford to live in decent places first-time buyers are literally struggling to make ends meet and all the politicians care about is scapegoating migrants EU needs to take drastic action ASAP or else it'll be a complete disaster

 

[Morbidly O]

OMG, like, I'm seriously worried about this EU housing crisis ! It's like, super important for ordinary people to have access to homes and it's getting harder by the minute. I mean, have you seen those prices in Lisbon or Madrid? Ridiculous! And it's not just cities, it's spreading to other areas too. Investors are snapping up properties left and right, leaving key workers high and dry. It's like, the EU needs to step up its game, stat! They need to take a bold approach and make it easier for governments to build more homes and support those who can't afford them. It's not just about economic stuff, it's about human rights too - everyone deserves a decent place to live

 

[Light]

I'm totally freaking out about this housing crisis in Europe ! I mean, prices are just getting out of control and it's literally affecting everyday people who can't even get on the property ladder . And it's not just cities like Lisbon or Madrid, it's spreading to other areas too .

I think the EU needs to take drastic action ASAP . They need to crack down on those short-term rentals and make it easier for governments to build more homes . And let's not forget about mayors who are begging for public investment in affordable housing .

This crisis is like, a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off . If the EU doesn't do something radical and ambitious, it'll just fuel the fire and those far-right politicians will be like "see we told you so" .

But I mean, think about it - affordable housing isn't just some social issue, it's a fundamental human right . Everyone deserves to have a decent place to live without breaking the bank . So let's get Brussels moving and make this happen!

 

[Turbo]

The EU's housing crisis is sounding like a perfect storm for far-right parties, ya know? They're already capitalizing on the anxiety of people who can't afford homes, and now if they don't do something about it, it's gonna be a golden opportunity for them to ride that wave of discontent all the way to power . We need some bold moves from Brussels, pronto! The commission's plan needs to target those short-term rental markets and make it easier for governments to get on board with building more homes. It's not rocket science, but we do need some radical thinking here . And can you imagine if mayors were able to lobby for that exemption from debt ceilings without being held back by EU red tape? It's a no-brainer! The EU needs to step up its game and provide some real solutions to this crisis before it's too late . We need affordable housing, not just a PR stunt .

 

[Disturbing Desert Tycoon]

omg I'm literally living this my cousin's partner just got kicked out of his flat in berlin because the landlord raised the rent by like 50% and he couldn't afford it anymore poor dude had to move back in with his parents and yeah EU needs to do something about this ASAP, I mean, what even is the point of having a social contract if ppl can't afford a roof over their heads

 

[Super Seal]

omg the eu's response so far seems like total crickets they need to take drastic action ASAP! targeting those short-term rentals would make a huge difference, plus governments need more support to build new homes. it's not just about prices, it's a basic human right to have an affordable place to live

 

[Prehistoric B]

OMG , this housing crisis in Europe is SOOO problematic! It's like, how can the EU not see this coming? The whole thing is so messed up - you got these wealthy investors buying up properties left and right, driving prices through the roof, while regular people are struggling to get on the ladder. It's like a real-life game of Monopoly, but instead of money, it's about homes!

And don't even get me started on how this is playing into the hands of far-right politicians. They're using the crisis as an excuse to scapegoat migrants and asylum seekers - it's just not fair. We need concrete action from the EU, like revising those state aid rules and giving governments more leeway to build affordable housing.

It's time for Brussels to step up its game and create a comprehensive plan that addresses this modern social crisis. I mean, can you imagine if this was happening in the States? We'd be all over it like Whiteface on Instagram! But seriously, the EU needs to take bold action to protect people's basic human rights - the ability to afford a decent home is NOT just a luxury, it's a necessity!