Good governance and regulation to support affordability in housing

19 Mar 2024
#Housing2030 conference

Long-term housing strategy and fit for purpose policies, leadership at all levels, capable implementation, reinforcement of performance, ensuring inclusiveness and accountable, responsive citizens are the main ingredients of good housing systems. They need to be adapted to local needs, Julie Lawson – the lead writer of the Housing 2030 report and the joint initiative of Housing Europe, UN-Habitat and UNECE, Housing 2030 – stressed at the initiative’s third conference ‘Good governance and regulation to support affordability in housing’. The event took place on 24th February and was part of the two-day UNECE Regional Online Workshop “Housing governance to support housing affordability”. 

“The Commission urges Member States to put in their recovery plans a particular focus on enhancing the availability of social and affordable housing, for example, via construction and renovation”, the Director of the European Commission’s DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Katarina Ivanković Knežević stated and added that the set up of the Housing 2030 initiative and its work in building capacity and displaying best practice is very timely, not only to raise awareness but also support the development of new approaches to housing. 

As a tradition, the last panel showcased front runners from the sector, including Housing Europe’s Portuguese member, Gebalis, the National Housing Federation of England, German cooperatives, the city of Bratislava and Newcastle City Council. We invite you to listen to them and we also offer you to tune in for the latest Housing 2030 podcasts about governance.

PRESENTATIONS

Housing 2030 event 

24th February 2021

Keynote presentation – Mr. József Hegedüs, Managing Director at the Metropolitan Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary

The #Housing2030 ‘Good Governance’ policy toolkit – Ms. Julie Lawson, #Housing2030 Lead Writer and Honorary Associate Professor at RMIT University

#Housing2030 Workshop session Two “What are the buildings blocks of a system of governance and regulation that serves to promote affordability in housing” 

Moderator: Ms. Elena Szolgayova, #Housing2030 Co-Chair

Representatives of national and local governments, social and affordable housing providers and policy experts will share their experiences with housing policies. 

Please find all slides from this panel here.

  • Ms. Catherine Ryder, National Housing Federation of England, UK
  • Mr. Guido Schwarzendahl, Bauverein Halle – Cooperative Housing Association, Germany
  • Mr. Neil Munslow, Newcastle City Council, UK
  • Mr. Pedro Pinto de Jesus, GEBALIS Public Housing Company, Lisbon, Portugal
  • Ms. Lucia Štasselová, Deputy Mayor of Bratislava, Slovakia

UNECE Regional Online Workshop “Housing governance to support housing affordability”

23th February (Day 1)

Overview of key international initiatives on affordable housing in Europe


Mr. Tilman Buchholz, German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community 
Ms. Marissa Plouin, Housing Policy Analyst, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECD
Ms. Nathalie Roebbel, Head of Unit, Air Quality and Health, the World Health Organization 
Mr. Grzegorz Gadja, Senior Urban Sector Specialist, Regional and Urban Development, European Investment Bank 
Ms. Elena Szolgayova, #Housing2030 Initiative Co-Chair

Mr David Orr, #Housing2030 Initiative Co-Chair

Ms. Julie Lawson, Lead Writer of the study report – Overview of the #Housing2030 Initiative

Panel discussion on “Governance for affordable, adequate and healthy housing for all”

Introduction: Mr. Brian Evans, Professor of Urbanism and Landscape, Head of Urbanism, Mackintosh School of Architecture, The Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, the United Kingdom

Ms. Aša Rogelj, Deputy Director General, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia

Ms. Susanne Bauer, International Relations, the City of Vienna, Austria

Mr. Knut Höller, Executive Member of the Board, Housing Initiative for Eastern Europe. 

24th February (Day 2)

Subregional workshop on “Governance of the housing sector: Focus on South-East Europe”


Ms. Doris Andoni, Director, Housing, Ministry of Finance and Economy of Albania
Ms. Svetlana Ristić, Head of Section of Housing Policy, Energy Efficiency and Public Utilities  

Ms. Tijana Zivanovic Milic, International Cooperation Specialist, Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Serbia 
Mr. Marko Čanović, Director General, Department of Housing Development, Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanization of Montenegro
Mr. Andrew Popelka, Senior Energy Advisor, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), USA