mother and daughter feeling safe in Poland

Stories from Europe

Decent housing is a foundation for anyone to have a prosperous life. Land and property values, and rents have been going up recently. As a result, more and more people in Europe face problems finding a decent place to live.

To lower housing costs, we help make homes more energy efficient. It helps reduce energy poverty and minimizes climate change. We also advocate for accessible and affordable housing on local, national and international levels.

Learn more about our work in Europe.

Building Homes, Building Hope: wienerberger and Habitat for Humanity on a shared mission

Discover how wienerberger and Habitat for Humanity are partnering to build sustainable, affordable homes across Europe and beyond–empowering communities, improving lives, and shaping a better future through innovation and a shared purpose.

How a Common Material Is Quietly Changing Construction in India

India’s rivers are paying the price for its construction boom, with illegal sand mining deepening riverbeds and worsening floods. But a quiet revolution is underway—driven by M-sand, a sustainable alternative backed by local innovators and supported by the Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter (TCIS), an initiative led by Habitat for Humanity and supported by the Hilti Foundation. Together, they’re making it easier for families to build safe, affordable homes without harming the environment. With each new house built on M-sand, a more resilient and responsible future takes shape.

Turning empty spaces into homes 

Ana Carolina Gomes, Associate Director for Strategy and Operations at Habitat for Humanity International, is leading efforts to address the gap of over 30 million homes in Europe sitting vacant and 900,000 people being homeless each night. At the World Urban Forum organized by UN-Habitat in November 2024, she outlined Habitat for Humanity’s plan to repurpose vacant buildings—a strategy that combines social impact with environmental responsibility. The goal is to increase affordvble housing while also reducing carbon emissions. 