On the occasion of the annual French HLM Congress, the Ministry for the City and Housing (the French State), Caisse des Dépôts (CDC), the Union sociale pour l'Habitat (USH), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) today signed a declaration of intent to establish a French National Hub dedicated to social, intermediate and sustainable housing ("the Hub").
Supported by the European Commission, this initiative forms part of the European Affordable Housing Plan presented in December 2025 and marks a major step forward in addressing the housing crisis, characterised by rising prices and rents, a slowdown in new construction and growing difficulties for many households in accessing housing.
A national Hub to bring together expertise and mobilise European resources and funding
The Hub, resulting from cooperation between the five signatories, will serve as a new platform of cooperation with the following objectives:
- Highlight and facilitate access to European resources and funding (loans, guarantees, engineering credits) that can be mobilised for social housing and accommodation projects, which are the Hub's priority, as well as for affordable housing;
- Facilitate technical support to project developers;
- Share, on an indicative basis, projected volumes and investment needs in social and intermediate housing and accommodation;
