CATALYTIC CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING
ANALYZING THE POTENTIAL FOR CATALYTIC CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SECTOR OF EASTERN AND SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE
This is a research project focusing on the gap in finance for the affordable housing sector in Central and South-Eastern Europe (CESEE). In the region there has been an increasing affordability issue since 2015 (and even before, housing inequalities were on the rise), and house price increases have been well above European averages.
As a result, a significant part of the population struggles to access housing - in the research we conducted a survey which identified the size and characteristics of these social groups in four capital cities of the region.
In parallel, there is an increasing need for investment in sustainable housing solutions to address the climate crisis. Thus, new models going beyond that of individual homeownership need to be scaled up in the region. Due to a lack of systematic public engagement with housing in CSEE, the development of innovative, affordable, rental-based housing solutions strongly relies on independent housing organizations. However, these organizations face important difficulties in accessing finance, mainly due to the risk-aversion of existing housing finance institutions in the region. Thus, they are not able to scale up.
The research focuses on both EU and non-EU countries - 8 countries altogether, with four, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovenia,4 selected as core research countries. In the research, we uncovered both the demand (potential residents) and the supply (necessary financial mechanisms and institutions) sides of a potential new market for affordable rental and cooperative housing. We firmly believe that if patient or catalytic capital were to systematically enter the housing sector of the region, then this would allow new, innovative housing providers to scale up, meaning that the sector of permanently affordable housing - ranging from limited equity cooperative housing to more conventional forms of rental housing - can finally come to life and expand in this part of Europe. This, in turn, would mean access to housing for social groups currently excluded from the housing market.
Outcomes
Catalytic capital investment as an enables of afforable rental and cooperative housing in Central and South-Eastern Europe - Full Research Report
2023. Zsuzsanna Pósfai, Csaba Jelinek, Sara Dević, Aleksandar Tomašević, Ivon Pavlović.
In the research we uncover the characteristics of both the demand-side and the supply-side of the housing sector, and also identify the bottlenecks that need to be overcome for the two sides to meet.
Catalytic capital investment as an enables of afforable rental and cooperative housing in Central and South-Eastern Europe - Investor Report
2023. Zsuzsanna Pósfai, Csaba Jelinek.
We also provide investors with a report that may guide them how to run socially engaged business and become lead in promoting affordable housing in Central and South-Eastern Europe.
For more details about the project find a link here.