Key facts
- A former school building on Baross Street in Budapest is being converted into social housing.
- The project is the first new social housing development in Budapest in 25 years.
- The European Union is funding 80% of the €6.2 million project.
- The initiative is part of the Affordable Housing for All (AHA) Budapest program.
- The project aims to address Budapest's housing crisis and test sustainable housing models.
A former school building in Budapest is being transformed into the city's first new social housing in a quarter of a century, with significant financial backing from the European Union. The €6.2 million pilot project, located at 39–43 Baross Street in Újpest, is 80% funded by the EU and aims to alleviate Budapest's escalating housing crisis.
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony stated that property prices in the Hungarian capital have seen some of the sharpest increases within the EU in recent years, attributing this to decades of "misguided housing policy measures." The conversion of the school building has allowed for an expansion of living space, with walls pushed out by 35-40% compared to the original classrooms.
The Affordable Housing for All (AHA) Budapest program, co-funded by the European Urban Initiative (EUI), is developing a methodology to assess vacant buildings for conversion, redevelopment, or sale, considering technical, financial, and social factors. The initiative also includes a pilot project called Demo Hub, which showcases affordable housing solutions that integrate energy efficiency and innovative urban development approaches.
Tibor Kiszelyi, project coordinator at the From Street to Home! Association, explained that the allocation of flats will consider factors such as family size and mobility impairments, aiming to support various target groups including single-parent families and young people leaving state care. Mayor Karácsony acknowledged that while the 26 completed rental flats will not single-handedly solve the housing shortage, they demonstrate a collaborative approach between public authorities and professional organizations to address the issue.