More Europeans under risk of becoming homeless as the housing prices rise

Written by journalist Danylo Aleksandrov

According to European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) report,the rise in housing prices and the increasing cost of living are pushing more and more people in Europe to homelessness.

FRA states in its annual report which is using data provided by Eurostat that between the years 2015 and 2024 the prices on housing in the European Union have increased by 53%. At the same time the rent prices have rose by almost 17% in the same time span. Such a jump puts a lot of families and individuals at a risk of becoming homeless, as less and less people can afford buying or renting housing.

Young people are one of the groups which suffer the most from this issue. They, like other vulnerable groups are experiencing obstacles to their right to adequate housing. A substantial number of people belonging to these groups also remain unprotected against eviction.

The report indicates that the homelessness is rising. FRA and European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (Feantsa) put their estimates at 1.3 million people in EU who are currently living in the streets in 2025. FRA reminds that under international humanitarian law the right to adequate housing is recognized, requiring efforts from the government to prevent homelessness and improve people’s access to housing.

Among the measures proposed to remedy the issue, the FRA advocates for a rights-based approach to housing, providing safety mechanisms for people who are vulnerable an a set of other related actions which might better the situation. The report also states that this problem is a test for EU, as the instability in the world grows and bloc’s mechanisms are challenged.