Rural housing: call for targeted responses and flexible support for local approaches amid demographic shifts
Housing shortages are no longer just an urban issue – rural and peri-urban areas facing depopulation and ageing are equally affected, highlighted a recent workshop organised by the Demographic Change Regions Network (DCRN).
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With contributions from the OECD, European Commission, Housing Europe, and regional authorities, the event (23 May 2025 – Brussels, Belgium) explored the impact of demographic change on housing needs.
Discussions emphasised that shrinking rural populations and ageing demographics demand targeted solutions and showcased the scale of local innovation needed through examples from Castilla y León (Spain) and Centre-Val de Loire (France). Local solutions range from repurposing unused public housing, to favouring young people through rent guarantees, tax benefits, and co-housing.
Regional authorities called for more flexible EU funding frameworks that go beyond energy renovation and recognise the full social urgency of rural housing access, and regionally adapted responses balancing rural decline with environmental and social objectives.
The event highlighted the rising importance of housing across EU institutions as the EU prepares its Affordable Housing Plan (expected in early 2026) and ongoing public consultations. It further overviewed the wide range of EU funding streams in support of housing initiatives, from cohesion funds and InvestEU, to the social climate fund and European Investment Bank (EIB) loans.
The DCRN is an open, informal network of around twenty European regions interested in demographic challenges such as ageing, declining populations and migration issues.
Explore the latest Rural Pact resources on rural housing.