Social Housing in Romania: Innovative Solutions for Growing Needs

The Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration (MDLPA), in partnership with the Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity and together with the World Bank, hosted the event “Social Housing in Romania: Innovative Solutions for Growing Needs.” The event marked the launch of the project “Improving the Regulatory Framework for Social Housing in Romania,” implemented by MDLPA.

This initiative, supported by the European Commission’s Technical Support Instrument through the Structural Reform Support Programme (SG REFORM), brought together key stakeholders from central and local public administration, as well as representatives from civil society. The project aims to strengthen the expertise required to develop a coherent regulatory framework that integrates both housing infrastructure and the social services intended for vulnerable groups.

A Targeted Approach to Urgent and Long-Term Needs

The project supports the identification of appropriate types of support for vulnerable groups, addressing both their urgent needs and long-term challenges.

Its core objective is to facilitate access to adequate housing for all population groups, with a particular focus on young people, vulnerable populations, and those living in informal settlements, ensuring that they benefit from sustainable and tailored solutions.

Integrated Solutions through Stronger Inter-Institutional Coordination

Through its partnership with the Ministry of Labour, the MDLPA aims to develop an integrated approach that emphasizes the specific needs of beneficiaries while ensuring more efficient coordination between social services and social housing provision.

This effort also supports the implementation of the Action Plan of the National Housing Strategy, approved in 2022, by expanding and deepening the response to housing-related needs for all categories of vulnerable groups.

By identifying and understanding the unique characteristics of each group, the initiative seeks to align policies and measures more effectively to have a direct, positive impact.

Building a Coherent Vision for Social Housing

At the same time, the initiative aims to consolidate a unified and coherent vision of social housing in Romania. It supports better integration of available solutions and resources to address the growing challenges in this area.

The event, hosted by the World Bank, marked a significant step in the national conversation around public policies and measures to support vulnerable individuals, reduce social exclusion, and ensure that all citizens have access to safe and adequate housing—a basic need that directly impacts health, education, and economic opportunity.

EU Support Through the Technical Support Instrument

These objectives highlight the importance and effectiveness of the Technical Support Instrument, implemented by the European Commission through SG REFORM, in strengthening the capacity of central public administration to prepare and implement structural reforms. These reforms aim to create a more effective governance framework, better support social inclusion, and respond more adequately to the needs of vulnerable populations.