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What the EU’s new Affordable Housing Plan means for people with intellectual disabilities and their families

Across Europe, very few adults with intellectual disabilities live in their own home:

  • In 14 EU countries, most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their families.
  • In 22 EU countries, few or no adults with intellectual disabilities live in their own home.
  • At least 1.1 million people with intellectual disabilities live in segregated “care” institutions with more than 10 people.

Why is it so hard to find housing?

People with intellectual disabilities face many obstacles in finding their own home:

  • A lack of available housing
  • Institutionalisation
  • Loss or restriction of legal capacity
  • Exclusion from housing policies
  • Financial barriers
  • Inaccessible neighbourhoods and services

EU’s new Affordable Housing Plan?

The EU Affordable Housing Plan comes as a response to the housing crisis in Europe. Housing crisis means a lot of people (with our without disabilities) cannot find suitable and affordable place to live.

The Affordable Housing Plan focuses on:

  • Supporting the construction of housing
  • Helping people cope with high housing costs
  • Supporting people most affected by the housing crisis

This plan can support housing for people with intellectual disabilities, even if it does not always mention them directly.

What does the Housing Plan say?

“Persons with disabilities confront limited availability of accessible housing, which increases the risk of institutionalisation..”

The plan includes the following actions:

  • A Council Recommendation on fighting housing exclusion (by 2026). This means EU countries will be invited to share guidance on how to improve housing for people who need it most. Step up support to groups in “vulnerable situations”, including through public funding Changes to EU law on public funding

The EU Affordable Housing Plan comes together with changes to EU State Aid rules. State Aid rules say how EU countries can use public money.

The new rules would make it easier for countries, regions and cities to use public money for housing projects that meet social needs.

One of the social needs listed is:

“The care and social inclusion of vulnerable groups, including accessibility and assistive technology services for persons with disabilities.”

This is an important opportunity for housing projects for people with intellectual disabilities.

Read also:

What does the plan NOT say?

The plan does not include several important elements that could have helped address the housing crisis for people with intellectual disabilities.

It does not:

  • Include specific actions to build accessible and affordable housing for people with disabilities. Such actions could have addressed the large range of obstacles that people with intellectual disabilities face in accessing housing, including financial barriers, legal capacity issues, lack of accessible information, and other obstacles.
  • Recognise people living in institutions as people in need of housing. Current housing data often does not include people who live in institutions.
  • Clearly link housing policy with deinstitutionalisation. The plan does not include actions to end institutionalisation by making housing and support available in the community.

Read also EDF’s reaction: Persons with disabilities still excluded in European Affordable Housing Plan

How can the Housing Plan be used?

The plan brings political attention to housing, supported by new funding opportunities.

There is a new funding tool in the State Aid rules that EU countries, regions and local authorities can use to support social housing for people with intellectual disabilities.

There is now discussion about the next EU long-term budget with a strong focus on making EU Funds available for housing.

This is the moment for organisations representing people with intellectual disabilities and their to:

  • Promote housing as a key way to achieve independent living and inclusion in the community.
  • Share concrete examples of how to make housing work for inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. (You can find some examples in our housing report)

You can use our paper “EU money for the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities and their families.” It includes a section on how public money can be used for housing and support.

Article by Freddy Jussien