The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has warned that the right to adequate housing remains a "broken promise" for more than a billion people worldwide, insisting that housing must be treated as a human right, not as a commodity. Ensuring access to a safe, affordable and sustainable home, the Assembly underlined, is a cornerstone of social justice, human development and democratic stability.
In a resolution based on a report by Aurora Floridia (Italy, SOC), the Assembly highlighted that in Europe alone more than 1.3 million people were homeless in 2023 - including 400,000 children - while nearly 20 million faced severe housing insecurity. It said wars, climate change, rising rents, speculation and the financialisation of housing are pushing millions into precarious conditions, with vulnerable groups such as low-income families and persons, migrants, Roma, students and the elderly hardest hit.
The Assembly also drew attention to the deliberate mass destruction of homes in war zones, stressing the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza where 92% of all residential buildings are destroyed or damaged, and the severe impact of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, where around 13% of housing is damaged or destroyed. It backed calls to recognise "domicide" - the deliberate mass destruction of housing - as a crime under international law.
The Parliamentary Assembly called on governments to honour their commitments under the European Social Charter by increasing public investment in affordable housing and renovation of old housing, introducing rent regulation, curbing speculation and short-term rentals, strengthening safeguards against forced evictions, and ensuring sustainable, climate-resilient housing policies. Examples such as Vienna's long-term social housing model and Vauban district in Freiburg were highlighted as good practices.
