As the European Union launches its first-ever dedicated housing plan, the Affordable Housing Initiative European Partnership, coordinated by Housing Europe, provides a timely platform to bridge ground-level practice and policy development around two key — yet often overlooked — levers for the just renovation of Europe’s housing stock: procurement and partnerships.
The first part of the discussion will explore the critical role of public procurement. On the one hand, invited speakers will take stock of the practical challenges faced by cities, housing providers and SMEs, including procedural complexity, restrictive criteria and capacity gaps. On the other, we will showcase successful models that demonstrate how procurement can act as a catalyst for innovation, community engagement and energy efficiency. The session will culminate in a strategic exchange on how to institutionalise these good practices at European level, involving key actors such as local governments and the European Commission.
Following a networking break, the second lever — partnerships and coalitions — will shift the focus to the collaborative dimension. A keynote address on coalition-building will set the scene for a discussion among practitioners, highlighting the value of collaboration and the human journey behind forming alliances, overcoming obstacles and integrating residents’ voices. A final debate will address what is still missing at local level to create the conditions for both informal and formal cooperation.