Right to housing for young people: On the housing situation of young Europeans and the potential of a rights-based housing strategy

Abstract

Young adults in Europe have more difficulty than previous generations to maintain or improve on their parents’ housing situation. Recommodification, financialisation and the withdrawal of the state as housing provider have transformed housing markets and affected the housing situation of young people. By drawing on various data sources, especially on the EU-Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), I aim to present a differentiated assessment and comparison of current housing conditions and problems in Europe with a focus on young people. I argue that a rights-based housing strategy with an explicit intergenerational justice perspective is a promising approach to tackle the housing crisis in a way that meets the housing needs of young people.