EDITION NO. 01 · ENGLISH

01

Berlin · Germany · CORRECTIV

Nurses Struggle to Afford Housing Across Europe and Germany

A Europe-wide investigation by CORRECTIV.Europe has found that housing costs have become so high that nurses can no longer afford to rent or buy a modest 45-square-metre home in more than one in seven municipalities across the EU, as well as Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland. 

The analysis combined local housing market data from almost 100,000 municipalities with regional and national salary data for nursing professionals.

The findings highlight a growing affordability crisis affecting essential workers and the wider middle class. While rents across the EU increased by 21.1 per cent between 2015 and 2025, property prices rose by 63.6 per cent on average – with even higher rent hikes in urban areas. 

Even more people are affected by the high prices than it seems at first glance because expensive areas are more densely populated. Therefore, more than a third of Europeans now live in areas where a nurse’s salary is insufficient to purchase a small apartment. Major cities and popular tourist destinations are among the least affordable locations.

In Germany, the situation is particularly acute in southern regions and metropolitan areas. In seven of the country’s ten largest cities, average rents exceed the commonly accepted affordability threshold of 30 per cent of net income for nurses. CORRECTIV.Europe found, as an example, that Freiburg is cited as an example where healthcare providers increasingly struggle to recruit staff because employees cannot find affordable accommodation. 

In Freiburg, a clinic even hired its own real estate agent to help employees find homes. Other healthcare providers are working together to secure accommodation for staff. 

It is a striking example of how Europe’s housing crisis is no longer just about housing – it is increasingly becoming a labour market and public services challenge. The rising housing costs are worsening labour shortages, social inequality and economic competitiveness across Europe.

Here you can find the full coverage: https://correctiv.org/en/europe/2026/02/17/housing-cost-1-in-7-eu-municipalities-unaffordable-for-nurses/ 

Lillith Grull, CORRECTIV, Germany

02

Riga · Latvia · TVNET

Beyond High Prices: Latvia’s Ageing Housing Stock

Latvia’s housing problem is not only about high prices or an insufficient supply of new apartments. One of the most serious crises is the ageing stock of multi-apartment buildings, especially in the regions. Latvia has around 39,500 multi-apartment buildings, of which at least 26,600 require renovation. However, only about 1,400 buildings have been renovated with support from European Union funds. A large share of the housing stock was built before the Second World War or during the Soviet period, and many buildings are approaching, or have already reached, the service life set out in regulations.

The problem is felt most acutely outside Riga and the largest cities. Separate studies of Soviet-era standard apartment blocks, including the 104 and 119 series, show that many of them are not structurally unsafe, but without systematic maintenance and renovation, technical problems will continue to accumulate.

In the regions, populations are declining, housing markets are weak, and residents’ purchasing power is low. If only part of an apartment block is occupied, it is practically impossible for the remaining residents to finance major renovation works. The Ministry of Economics has indicated that for around 30% of buildings, further investment in renovation is no longer economically justified.

The situation is worsened by rising construction costs, more expensive loans, and complex bureaucracy. Since 2017, the cost of full renovation per square metre has increased fourfold.

Latvia therefore faces two challenges at once: ensuring access to affordable housing, while also saving or replacing part of its physically ageing housing stock.

Toms Ostrovskis, TVNET GRUPA, Latvia

03

Warsaw · Poland · OKO.press

The Real Issue Is the Rental Affordability Gap

Public debate about the housing crisis in Poland focuses primarily on housing prices. This is particularly true because, in 2023, the Polish government introduced the highly generous “Safe 2% Mortgage” subsidy programme to make homeownership more accessible. Instead of solving the problem, however, the programme effectively poured fuel on the fire.

At the same time, years of low-interest rates led to a significant influx of investors and speculators into the housing market, further driving up prices—a factor that has affected not only Poland but Europe as a whole.

Data from the National Bank of Poland show that housing prices in the country’s seven largest cities increased by 145% between 2006 and 2024.

The question is: is that a lot? Housing prices cannot be assessed in isolation from incomes. Over the same period, wages increased even more than housing prices—by 206%. Paradoxically, this means that, statistically speaking, the ability to purchase a home in Poland has improved rather than deteriorated since 2006.

And yet, there is no doubt that Poland is experiencing a housing crisis. The main problem, however, lies elsewhere—in what is known as the rental affordability gap.

Not everyone needs to be able to buy their own home. However, many people also cannot afford to rent suitable housing because their incomes are too low. At the same time, they earn too much to qualify for municipal housing. The simple reason is that there is far too little of it.

The rental affordability gap in Poland is estimated at 35%. For single-parent households and families with two parents and three or more children, it may reach as high as 60%.

Agata Kołodziej, OKO.press, Poland

04

Vienna · Austria · Die Presse

Housing Costs: Young People Are Most Affected

Austria’s population is growing – statistically speaking, not due to children or young immigrants, but because of the over-60s. Since 2005, this group has grown by 40.8 per cent. By comparison, the under-30 age group grew by 0.1 per cent. When combined with the housing market, this reveals a growing imbalance in the distribution of space and costs, as shown in data from Statistics Austria (presentation: 10 June 2026).

For example, the proportion of single-person households (SPH) has risen from 34.5 per cent to 39.1 per cent over the last 20 years. Among those under 30, 80.3 per cent of single-person households live in rented accommodation covering around 57.6 square metres, whilst those over 60 have an average of 87 m² at their disposal, with 42.5 per cent renting.

No one is spared from rising housing costs. “The increase was highest for rented flats, at just under 40 per cent (between 2015 and 2025, note),” said Manuela Lenk, Director General of Statistics Austria.

“Overall, the ratio of renting to homeownership is balanced,” explained Arba Rexhepi, Project Manager for Housing at Statistics Austria. “Around 47.3 per cent of Austrian households owned their own homes in 2025, with the majority – 35.5 per cent – owning their own homes.” 43.1 per cent lived in rented accommodation. Private tenancy was the most common form of tenure, accounting for 19.5 per cent. The remaining primary residences (9.7 per cent) were subject to other legal arrangements.

The statistics also indicate that construction activity has declined. For example, the number of housing units approved in 2025 fell by 3.7 per cent compared with the previous year.

https://www.diepresse.com/29242927/wohnen-2025-junge-und-ein-eltern-haushalte-am-meisten-blelastet

Daniela Mathis, Die Presse, Austria

05

Zagreb · Croatia · Telegram.hr

Who Needs More Than 18 Square Meters, Anyway?

Rarely has the effort of an administration to influence the resolution of a key social problem been as instructive as the Croatian Government’s engagement around affordable housing. It is a textbook example of how not to do things.

First, the context. In the past year alone, the price of a residential square meter in Croatia rose by 14.1 percent, which not only continued a multi-year period of rising housing costs but also accelerated the annual price growth rate. Last year, moreover, the National Housing Policy Plan came into force—a document the Croatian Government spent a full six years preparing, claiming all the while that "housing policy is at the heart of all the government's social policies."

To paint a picture: from the moment the government's grand plan for affordable housing came into effect, the average price of a 50-square-meter apartment in Zagreb increased by about four cents just in the time it takes to read this text. To put it even more vividly—that is 65 euros a day. Each one of the 365 days in the year.

With the same plan, the Government intended to impact housing affordability by paying a portion of the rent to private landlords. The line minister announced that up to 30,000 apartments could be activated in this program by 2030. The text of the National Plan itself is somewhat more reserved—it speaks of 9,000 properties.

How did it go? A total of 960 property owners applied to the government's public call. Only 435 met the criteria to enter the program.

However, the Government still has an ace up its sleeve. They are moving forward with building special housing units for young people. For one person, these will be 18 square meters, and for two, 26 square meters. Logical—because if you can’t lower the prices, just reduce the square footage, and voilá, affordable housing!

Jasmin Klarić, Telegram.hr, Croatia

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CORRECTIV [DE]

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Die Presse [DE]

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OKO.press [PL]

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Telegram.hr [HR]

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TVNET [LV]