Renew Europe CoR’s Andres Jaadla proposed solutions to the European housing crisis at the European Conference of Housing Ministers in Liège, Belgium, on 4-5 March.

Jaadla, from Rakvere, Estonia, is the Committee of the Region’s Rapporteur on a draft opinion “Smart, sustainable and affordable housing as a tool for local authorities to face multiple challenges”, up for final adoption at CoR’s next Plenary session on 17-18 April.

He underlines that the European housing policy has been neglected for decades and is now starting to inhibit free movement within the EU Single Market and access to education.

“We need affordable and sustainable housing, but we also need to be smart about it,” said Jaadla.

“We need to be smart about deploying the right solutions, being innovative and finding solutions for smart renovations, which can be done with limited costs, fast and without disturbing the citizens.”

Jaadla’s report on smart, sustainable and affordable housing seeks to illuminate the severity of the crisis. Drawing upon Estonia’s successful reconstruction efforts, Jaadla emphasizes the urgency of implementing European-wide initiatives aimed at ensuring smart housing for all citizens.

Jaadla advocates for the establishment of a Housing Agenda for the European Union and proposes a cohesive approach to address housing challenges across Europe.