European Commission prepares Affordable Housing Act to regulate short-term rentals

Affordable Housing Act short-term rentals housing crisis European Commission real estate regulation

The European Commission is preparing to introduce the Affordable Housing Act to address a growing housing crisis across the European Union. Since 2013, property prices in the EU have risen by over 60 percent, while average rents have increased by approximately 20 percent. Short-term tourist rentals have also seen a significant surge, increasing by 93 percent between 2018 and 2024.

To mitigate the impact of these trends, the proposed legislation will allow local and regional authorities to implement restrictions on short-term rentals in designated “housing stress areas.” These areas will be identified using specific criteria, such as the ratio of property prices to local income levels. The measures aim to prevent short-term rentals from further reducing the availability of long-term housing in high-pressure urban and tourist zones.

The proposal is not intended to be a blanket ban on all short-term rentals; instead, it seeks to provide a harmonized framework for cities like Barcelona, Venice, and Paris to regulate the market. Notably, the proposed restrictions are expected to exclude individuals renting out their primary residences. The official presentation of the proposal is anticipated around September 9, 2026.

Entities

Affordable Housing Act · Airbnb · Barcelona · Dan Jørgensen · European Commission · European Parliament · European Union · Paris · Teresa Ribera

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 16 SOURCES] Authorities could limit short-term tourist rentals in designated high-pressure zones. b2b-sy.com · denar.mk · www.thelocal.dk · www.today.it · www.ilpost.it · +11 more
[● 7 SOURCES] Teresa Ribera is scheduled to formally present the housing proposal on September 9. b2b-sy.com · www.elplural.com · www.anbba.it · www.appgamers.de · holidaycoast.it · +2 more
[● 11 SOURCES] The proposed restrictions will not apply to individuals renting out their primary residence. b2b-sy.com · www.thelocal.dk · www.today.it · thedailycases.com · www.capital.fr · +6 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Housing stress criteria include a price-to-income ratio of eight or higher and worsening trends over the last decade. www.today.it · www.ilpost.it · www.laverita.info · b2b-sy.com · www.nuovogiornalenazionale.com · +3 more
[● 6 SOURCES] European property prices rose by approximately 60 to 65 percent over the last decade. denar.mk · www.thelocal.dk · dunav.at · www.capital.fr · trn.mk · +1 more
[● 17 SOURCES] The Affordable Housing Act is a legislative proposal to help member states address housing shortages. b2b-sy.com · denar.mk · www.anbba.it · dunav.at · thedailycases.com · +12 more
[● 4 SOURCES] Authorities may restrict the purchase of residential property for purposes other than a primary residence in high-stress areas. fr.businessam.be · www.today.it · www.ilpost.it · denar.mk
[● 3 SOURCES] The EU estimates that 20 percent of housing in the EU is currently unoccupied. trn.mk · dunav.at · nezavisen.mk
[● 3 SOURCES] Short-term rentals in the EU increased by 93 percent between 2018 and 2024. trn.mk · dunav.at · nezavisen.mk