European partnerships: new momentum for affordable and collaborative housing
After two years of cooperation between six European cities, the Cities 4 Co-Housing European network concluded its work with a conference held in Brussels in June 2026.
Supported by the European URBACT programme, the project aimed to explore how affordable, inclusive and collaborative housing models inspired by the Brussels-based CALICO project can be developed and adapted in other European cities.
Beyond sharing good practices, the network enabled partner cities to strengthen their capacity to implement concrete projects. Its work focused in particular on building partnerships between public authorities, local stakeholders, residents and funding organisations, which are considered essential for developing sustainable solutions to the housing crisis.
One of the project’s major achievements was the development of Investment Plans designed to translate the exchange of experience into operational local strategies. These plans set out the steps needed to design, finance and govern collaborative housing projects tailored to the specific circumstances of each area.
The partners also highlighted the importance of governance and residents’ involvement in ensuring the long-term success of these initiatives. The experience of the Brussels-based CALICO project showed, among other things, that maintaining a collective dynamic and appropriate governance mechanisms is a key factor in ensuring their long-term sustainability.
The project is officially coming to an end, but the partners will continue their efforts to turn these ideas into affordable and collaborative housing for the benefit of people across Europe.
Would you like to find out more about Cities 4 Co-Housing and the Brussels-based CALICO project? Visit the External linkCities 4 Co-Housing project website and watch the project’s final video:
