The European Parliament's Special Committee on the Housing Crisis on 24 June 2026 held a public hearing on housing affordability amid high energy costs, revealing a split between industry and tenant representatives over financing renovation. Industry speakers favoured private loans, while tenant and social-housing representatives pushed for public grants and non-profit models.
Chair Irene Tinagli (S&D) framed the debate around structural drivers of energy poverty and the role of renovation. Matthew Baldwin from the European Commission's DG ENER reported that oil prices have fallen to around $77 per barrel and gas to about €42 per megawatt-hour after the US-Iran deal, but warned supply risks persist and energy costs still weigh on households and construction.
Sarah Gonzalez-Moreno from the University of Burgos argued that affordability must include energy costs, citing passive-house standards and industrialised construction to speed up building. Remi Collombet from Efficient Buildings Europe stressed that inefficient homes are liabilities, called for stable national renovation programmes, and proposed an EU renovation loan. Michael Gehbauer from GBV Austria presented the limited-profit housing model, where cost-based rents and pooled renovation funds keep homes affordable while decarbonising; he urged treating affordable housing as infrastructure. Barbara Steenbergen from the International Union of Tenants highlighted that 150 million Europeans rent, 34 million face energy poverty, and split incentives between landlords and tenants block renovation; she called for legal safeguards to protect tenants.
The hearing exposed a cleavage between industry and tenant representatives over financing: industry favoured private loans, while tenant and social-housing representatives pushed for public grants and non-profit models. This reflects a broader trade-off between leveraging private capital for renovation and ensuring affordability for low-income households. The committee will feed expert input into its report, with next steps including drafting recommendations for EU and national policies.
Stakeholders affected include low- and middle-income households, tenants, social housing providers, construction and renovation industries, energy suppliers, and national governments implementing renovation plans.