Context

Access to affordable housing is a complex and urgent challenge in most EU countries. The issue is particularly pronounced in major cities, where it has reached ‘crisis’ stage. This is a social emergency that must be addressed as soon as possible. The creation of a new housing portfolio within the European Commission –namely, the newly-established role of Commissioner for Energy and Housing– makes this a priority for the current mandate. It represents a great opportunity to take action and influence decision-making.

The alliance

Led by Barcelona and with the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, particularly involved, along with the mayors of other cities such as Paris and Bologna, a group of European mayors have formed an alliance to organise an articulated and structured response to the housing crisis. This alliance serves two main purposes: to develop a series of housing-related demands to put before European institutions, and to bring the political initiatives of different cities together in one voice at a European level.

The aim is to unite the requests of various cities –16 mayors are currently involved in the initiative– regardless of their political colour in a single voice and thus help to promote the crucial role of cities in identifying solutions to the housing crisis by making them key interlocutors with the EU.

Members

Mayors from the following cities are members of the alliance: Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Bologna, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Florence, Gent, Leipzig, Lisbon, Metropolis of Lyon, Milan, Paris, Rome, Warsaw and Zagreb.

Goals

• To give cities a say in the definition of the EU's legal framework on housing, taking advantage of the newly-created role of Housing Commissioner and the creation of a Housing Task Force.
• To increase funding for housing, especially for affordable housing other than social housing.
• To secure direct allocation of EU funds to cities currently facing this social emergency. 

Combined strategy

The strategy combines high-impact political actions and communication with levers pertaining to the EU institutional framework:

• Meetings of mayors, letters to the President of the European Commission and to Commissioners.
• Opinion pieces in the European press.
• Major events with mayors and the European Commission.

Documents

• Letter from 10 mayors to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, sent in December 2024.
• “Key requests – Mayors for Housing” joint declaration, presented in Brussels in February 2025.
• European Housing Action Plan, presented to the European Commission in May 2025.
• Letter from mayors of Mayors for Housing to European leaders, sent in October 2025.