EU unveils plan to tackle housing crisis

THE EU was yesterday expected to present a first-ever plan to address the continent's deepening housing crisis, aiming to boost construction and regulate short-term rentals.

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The figures are stark: nearly 1.3 million people are homeless across the 27-nation bloc - more than the entire population of Brussels.

Over the past 15 years, housing prices have surged by 60%, while rents have climbed almost 30%, according to Eurostat data.

"For too many Europeans today, home has become a source of anxiety," European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said in a recent speech addressing the challenge.

Responding to a crisis that affects all EU member states, the commission has drawn up an "affordable housing plan" which was to be unveiled yesterday.