Mayors of ten European cities, representing 13.5 million citizens, sent a letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressing their concern about the housing crisis affecting their metropolitan regions.

The document, entitled "Letter from Housing Mayors", highlights that the current situation in the real estate market is reaching critical levels, especially in large cities, where the shortage of homes has generated a structural crisis that requires urgent and coordinated solutions.

In the letter, the mayors point out that the lack of housing not only affects the most vulnerable segments, but is also causing the expulsion of the middle classes from urban centers. This phenomenon is largely due to the growing influence of large international investment funds which, according to the signatories, buy real estate en masse, increase prices and transform cities into spaces inaccessible to their own residents.

Jaume Collboni, on behalf of Barcelona, ​​highlights in the text that "housing cannot be treated as a luxury product or as a speculative good", appealing to European institutions to assume their responsibility in this problem. Among the concrete proposals, the signatories advocate EU legislation that would limit the influence of large investment funds in the residential market, as well as stricter regulation of the rental market to avoid disproportionate price increases.

The letter also insists on the need to harmonize housing policies between Member States, establishing common standards that guarantee the right to housing as a fundamental pillar of European well-being. The mayors ask that the European Commission incorporate housing as a central axis in the review of its urban policies and adopt a bolder perspective in the fight against speculation.

Housing is not a privilege, argue mayors

Collboni and the other signatories highlight that cities are the most affected by speculative dynamics, but they are also the actors best positioned to implement innovative and sustainable solutions. Therefore, they call for a closer framework of cooperation between European cities and institutions.

The letter was addressed to the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council, in the hope that these institutions will prioritize housing in their legislative agenda and adopt concrete measures to reverse the housing crisis. In a context where urban inequalities are increasing, mayors believe that the EU has a historic responsibility to ensure that housing is not a privilege, but a right accessible to all European citizens.

This coordinated movement by large cities reflects the growing pressure on local governments to face a global crisis that transcends borders. Now, the response of European institutions will be decisive in demonstrating their commitment to social rights and the future of European cities.

In this context, the mayors propose:

Establish a direct and structured dialogue between cities and the European Commission, especially with the new commissioner responsible for housing, in order to harness local knowledge on the development and financing of social and affordable housing.

Accelerate and optimize the allocation of European funds to housing projects, ensuring that cities can access these resources efficiently to simultaneously address the construction of new homes, the fight against homelessness and improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock existing.

The mayors concluded the letter by reiterating their readiness to work closely with European institutions to implement an integrated urban agenda that promotes social cohesion and the well-being of communities, thus reinforcing the legitimacy of European institutions in the eyes of their citizens.