European Perspectives on Housing, Migration and Poverty: Key Insights from FEANTSA for Our Work in Spain
FEANTSA, the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless, of which HOGAR SÍ is a member, has recently published a statement outlining its position on migration and homelessness in Europe. This document is particularly relevant for those of us working to defend the right to housing and social inclusion, as it offers an essential perspective for understanding how the challenges we face in Spain form part of broader dynamics affecting the entire continent. It also underlines the importance of organisations such as HOGAR SÍ actively participating in the European policy debate.
In its statement, FEANTSA emphasises that the housing crisis remains one of the key factors pushing people into situations of social exclusion. The organisation highlights that Europe is experiencing a sustained increase in rental prices alongside a dramatic reduction in the availability of affordable housing, leading to a significant rise in homelessness. These problems disproportionately affect people who face bureaucratic barriers or administrative situations that limit their access to rights—circumstances that are particularly common among migrant populations.
As we approach 2026, housing affordability is set to become a central focus of European policy debates. The implementation of the long-awaited European Affordable Housing Plan, presented by the Commission in December 2025, will shape the policy agenda for the year by introducing measures aimed at expanding the availability of affordable housing. At the same time, the launch of the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy in 2026 offers a crucial complementary framework. This strategy, driven by several parliamentary groups and aligned with the Commission’s priorities, seeks to tackle poverty eradication in a coordinated manner across the European Union, ensuring higher levels of social protection and mobilising more consistent resources among Member States. FEANTSA’s perspective is closely aligned with this approach, stressing that no anti-poverty strategy can succeed unless access to housing is guaranteed as a cornerstone of social inclusion.
At HOGAR SÍ, we fully share FEANTSA’s diagnosis and priorities. Our own position paper, “El sinhogarismo cero comienza con más vivienda” (Ending Homelessness Starts with More Housing), similarly stresses that the structural shortage of affordable housing prevents progress towards sustainable and effective solutions. We advocate for a decisive increase in the supply of social housing in Spain, alongside policies that ensure affordability in the rental market. The European perspective reinforces the idea that this is not a local or isolated challenge but a shared one, demanding a rights-based approach in which Spain must take an ambitious and forward-looking stance.
All of this is unfolding alongside a crucial political process: the European Commission has already presented its proposal for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, with negotiations taking place throughout this year. The direction of this budget will determine the EU’s real capacity to invest in affordable housing, social services, inclusion of policies and protection systems capable of mitigating structural poverty. These negotiations will be decisive in determining whether social priorities—particularly housing—receive the financial support required. In this context, FEANTSA reminds us that European policies on housing, migration, and poverty are deeply interconnected. The shortage of affordable housing has become a structural barrier that can only be overcome if the European Union advances towards a rights-based approach that ensures real access to housing for all.
From a Spanish perspective, it is especially important to disseminate this European outlook among civil society organisations, public authorities and the wider public. The decisions taken at EU level in 2026 will shape the scope of our policies for the next decade and determine whether we move towards a social model in which access to housing is addressed with the ambition and coherence that the current situation demands.
The housing crisis and the fight against poverty cannot be addressed solely from a national perspective, as European dynamics shape both the causes and the potential solutions to homelessness. Understanding this international context strengthens our proposals, demonstrates that we are not alone in our analysis and reinforces the urgency of adopting bold policies that place the right to housing at the center of the response.
For this reason, in the coming months, HOGAR SÍ is committed to continuing to advance this agenda at both national and European levels. We will remain actively engaged in the public consultation processes of the European Commission and the European Parliament, providing evidence and recommendations to ensure that the European Affordable Housing Plan and the European Anti-Poverty Strategy include effective measures to eradicate homelessness. At national level, we will intensify our advocacy work with regional and local authorities to promote policies that expand the supply of affordable housing and ensure that no one is excluded simply because they lack a home. Additionally, we will continue working alongside FEANTSA and other European organisations to ensure that the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034) prioritises housing as a fundamental pillar of wellbeing in Europe.
Aitor de la Fuente Sánchez, Public Affairs Relations Officer at HOGAR SÍ.
Download and read the full document here: FEANTSA POSITION
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