Habitat for Humanity and Laudes Foundation Join Forces to Tackle Housing and Climate Crises
Bratislava (July 15, 2024) - Habitat for Humanity and the leading philanthropic foundation called Laudes Foundation are proud to announce a transformative three-year partnership aimed at addressing the pressing challenges of social housing and climate change through a flagship regional project devoted to renovating and repurposing vacant spaces into homes.
About 4.1 million people in the EU face homelessness annually. Despite this, Europe alarmingly has over 30 million unoccupied homes, with 35% of total buildings being under-occupied. Additionally, 18% of households live in overcrowded conditions.
From an environmental perspective, the buildings sector is a key contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing 35% of energy-related EU emissions.
The “Empty Spaces to Homes” initiative, led by Habitat for Humanity and supported by Laudes Foundation, seeks to repurpose vacant buildings into affordable housing. With thousands of empty spaces across Europe and a growing demand for affordable housing, this initiative seeks to convert unused spaces into livable homes for low-income households. It also aims to establish sustainable financial and building models for transitioning empty spaces into homes, with the potential for replication.
This pioneering effort is combining climate and equity in the context of housing as an asset and basic human right at the same time. The project contributes to the EU’s goal of net-zero emissions by repurposing empty spaces into residential units. It also advocates for systemic changes, shares its model, and establishes sustainable funding mechanisms for scalability and long-term impact.
Building on successful pilot projects in Poland and Great Britain, Habitat for Humanity and Laudes Foundation are extending their reach across Europe. The project will now encompass Hungary and Croatia as partner countries.
“Through this transformative partnership with Laudes Foundation, we're not only repurposing empty spaces into vibrant homes but also pioneering a model that systematically advances both environmental sustainability and social equity. It's a privilege to lead this charge towards a greener, more inclusive future,”— Rick Hathaway, Habitat for Humanity’s vice president for Europe and the Middle East.
The research from these pilot projects uncovered significant findings: In the UK, over 7,000 vacant commercial buildings could potentially be converted into more than 19,500 residential units through retrofitting. Similarly, in Poland, where 12.1% of flats are unoccupied according to 2021 census data, there’s significant potential to repurpose these spaces to address housing shortages. These pilots resulted in tangible outcomes, renovating 10 properties in both the UK and Poland. A comprehensive toolkit has been developed from these experiences, offering valuable insights and best practices for future replication efforts across Europe.
“Laudes Foundation is committed to promoting a just transition across Europe’s Built Environment. Given the significant share of residential assets in the built environment, this component of the sector’s transition is critical and affords huge opportunities to not only address climate impacts, but also foster greater social impact through converting empty spaces to affordable houses. To do so effectively, residents and workers must be central to this transition. We believe through collaboration with our valued partners, like Habitat for Humanity, we can influence industry practices to ensure affordable, low-emission, and vibrant urban spaces for all,”— Amol Mehra, Director of Industry Programmes at Laudes Foundation.
About Habitat for Humanity:
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand partner up with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.
About Laudes Foundation:
Laudes Foundation is an independent foundation working to accelerate the transition to a just and regenerative economy. Through strategic partnerships and initiatives, Laudes Foundation seeks to drive systemic change and create a more sustainable future for all.