France Plans Housing Hub to Unlock European Funding and Technical Expertise

Social housing and accommodation projects will be the Hub’s priority, with support also extending to affordable housing and measures addressing homelessness.

For households facing rising rents and property prices, a slowdown in construction is making the search for an affordable home increasingly difficult. France is preparing a national housing Hub to help turn European funding and technical expertise into projects that respond to these pressures, bringing together institutions responsible for public policy, social housing and long-term investment.

A declaration of intent to establish the Hub was signed at the annual French HLM Congress by the Ministry for the City and Housing, Caisse des Dépôts (CDC), Union sociale pour l'Habitat (USH), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB). Supported by the European Commission, the initiative forms part of the European Affordable Housing Plan presented in December 2025 and will cover social, intermediate and sustainable housing.

Making European Funding Easier to Access

Social housing and accommodation projects will be the Hub's priority, with support also extending to affordable housing and measures addressing homelessness. Developers and local organisations should gain clearer access to European loans, guarantees and financing for project preparation, helping them understand which resources could support their investments. CDC and European financial institutions may establish bilateral agreements, subject to each organisation's internal procedures.

The cooperation builds on the European Alliance for Sustainable and Inclusive Social Housing in France, launched in 2020 by USH, CDC, EIB and CEB. That partnership has already helped mobilise European resources for social housing and specialised accommodation through Banque des Territoires, part of the CDC Group. CDC Director General Olivier Sichel described the Hub as a further step that brings the French State into this cooperation and connects it with the Commission's housing plan.

USH President Emmanuelle Cosse said the initiative could strengthen social housing organisations' investment capacity and support local authorities in delivering homes. European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen described it as the first national Hub dedicated to social, affordable and sustainable housing, encouraging other countries to follow France's example and connect European investment efforts with local needs.

Helping Housing Projects Move Forward

Access to finance is one part of getting homes built or renovated; developers also need support to prepare workable projects and carry them through delivery. The Hub will facilitate technical assistance, improve access to national and European project engineering resources, and promote innovative construction and renovation methods. Partners will exchange practical experience in project structuring, financing and implementation, with lessons potentially shared more widely among public bodies and developers.

French Housing Minister Vincent Jeanbrun linked the initiative to the country's "Relance logement" housing recovery plan, stressing the need to build more homes faster and more efficiently. Its work will also support energy renovation in social housing and accommodation facilities, connecting the need for additional homes with improvements to existing buildings.

Identifying Needs and Removing Barriers

The partners will share indicative projections of housing volumes and investment needs across social housing, intermediate housing and accommodation, taking account of French, European Union and Council of Europe priorities. Economic studies and cost observatories will help inform discussions about financial and operational improvements. Exchanges on obstacles to delivery will also inform the French State and support proposals for legislative or regulatory changes.

EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle said France received €3.4 billion in EIB housing finance over the past five years, making it Europe's leading beneficiary during that period. He placed the Hub within the bank's Housing Action Plan and its commitment to affordable, sustainable, high-quality homes. CEB Vice-Governor Johannes Boehmer highlighted nearly €1 billion in approved French financing since 2015 alongside CDC Group for social and affordable housing, describing the Hub as a way to connect local needs more effectively with funding and expertise.