14:03 27 April 2024
There Is a Lack of Affordable Housing in Poland
According to Eurostat data, Poles allocate on average 17.9 percent of their income to housing costs. This is still slightly below the European average of 18.9 percent. Meanwhile, the so-called housing cost overburden rate (which indicates the percentage of the population that spends at least 40 percent of their income on housing costs) affects 6.7 percent of households in urban areas and 5.3 percent in rural areas in Poland. This is also below the European average of 10.4 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.
"Most people – even those with average, not the worst incomes – have trouble meeting their housing needs, but also with having funds for a decent life after paying all the bills and fees associated with housing," Aleksandra Krugły, Director of Advocacy at Habitat for Humanity Poland Foundation, pointed out.
The problem is not only the high housing cost overburden rate, but also the so-called rent gap, which encompasses more than one-third of society. However, increasing the number of new units alone will not solve these problems. Solutions are also needed that will enable the involvement of the private sector in increasing the supply of affordable rental housing.
(Newseria)
