Housing
Housing has become one of the most urgent priorities for cities as affordability, availability, and quality increasingly shape urban life. Where people live determines their access to jobs, education, healthcare, and social opportunities. However, housing cannot be addressed in isolation. It is deeply connected to mobility and transport systems, and cities that fail to integrate these policies often reinforce inequality, social exclusion, and inefficiency.
Prioritising housing within well-connected areas can transform cities. Compact, mixed-use neighbourhoods linked to reliable public transport, walking, wheeling, and cycling infrastructure reduce car dependence and emissions while improving accessibility. Transit-oriented development, for example, allows people to live closer to jobs and services, making cities more inclusive and environmentally sustainable.
By aligning housing policy with mobility and transport planning, cities can create fairer, healthier, and more efficient urban environments. Treating housing as a central priority helps ensure that cities work for everyone, not just the few who can afford it.
POLIS favours the exchange between its members on this topic in the Active Travel & Health and Access Working Groups.
European Commission adopts European Strategy for Housing Construction
