According to the announcement of the Hellenic Labour Institute (EEKE), housing constitutes a fundamental social right that must be safeguarded by the State through fair and sustainable policies. The Institute’s study emphasizes that the housing crisis is not solely a matter of supply, but also the outcome of social inequalities, insufficient public policy, and structural market distortions.
For this reason, the EEKE’s proposals are based on four key methodological pillars:
- Segmentation of needs – implementation of differentiated policies for students, young people, the elderly, public servants, tenants, and homeowners.
- Application of corporate social responsibility – ensuring that those who benefit from the housing market (e.g., short-term rental platforms) contribute to the strengthening of social housing.
- Multifaceted implementation entities – combining public, municipal, and social agencies, tailored to local conditions and needs.
- Financial innovations – including the refinancing of housing loans and the issuance of Social Solidarity Bonds.
Based on these principles, the EEKE outlines six specific policy proposals:
- Increase the supply of long-term rental housing through tax incentives, exemption from property tax (ENFIA), and the creation of intermediary management bodies to ensure proper property use.
- Support the repurchase of homes by citizens who lost their properties due to foreclosures, via social funds or solidarity bonds.
- Utilize public and municipal real estate assets to provide housing for students, the elderly, people with disabilities, and employees working away from their permanent residence.
- Promote the construction of affordable new housing through building cooperatives, supported by state guarantees to facilitate access to financing.
- Revitalize large urban apartments from the 1950s–1960s through shared-living programs for specific groups (such as young people, the elderly, or public sector employees).
- Balance the short-term and long-term rental markets by requiring owners of short-term rental properties to allocate a portion of their units for long-term use.
The EEKE underlines that these proposals are realistic, feasible, and socially equitable, as they can be implemented by central government authorities, local administrations, and citizens alike. The execution of a coherent national housing plan, it notes, can transform housing from a source of social insecurity into a pillar of social cohesion and economic stability.
