On September 26, 2025, the Institute of Public Finance brought together experts from European universities and institutions, as well as housing policy-makers from Croatia and other European countries, for an international conference to discuss the latest insights in the economics and policy of housing affordability. The conference focused on new academic findings, international experiences and European initiatives, as well as efforts by the cities of Osijek, Split and Zagreb to develop sustainable housing policy models in cooperation with the European Investment Bank.

Housing affordability was once primarily a matter of social policy, but today it is also a key issue for economic development. In the past, housing economics and policy were mostly directed at supporting low-income populations and vulnerable social groups. However, over the past thirty years, affordable housing has become a broader economic concern that affects the competitiveness of cities and national economies.

The current housing crisis is the result of a series of interconnected factors: from accelerated urbanisation and demographic shifts to high housing demand and insufficient supply. The consequences are increasingly evident – a growing number of citizens are struggling to find affordable places to live and work, with the situation being especially difficult for young people and low-income households.

Despite numerous policies at both the national and European level, access to affordable housing remains an unresolved issue with serious social and economic consequences.

The conference explored the key challenges and trends shaping housing markets – such as population ageing, mobility, migration and urbanisation – as well as the institutional and policy steps needed to secure fair and sustainable access to housing. The aim of the conference was to highlight crucial housing challenges facing our societies, better understand their scope, impact and implications, explore new policy options, and move closer to sustainable and socially just policy solutions. 

Opening speeches were delivered by Vjekoslav Bratić, Director of the Institute of Public Finance; Željko Uhlir, State Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets; Hana Zoričić, Deputy to the Chief State Treasurer at the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia; Hana Huzjak, Economic Counsellor at the European Commission Representation in Croatia; and Ivan Puh, Project Coordinator at the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Zagreb.