The costs of housing are one of the most significant expenses of Polish households.
They are particularly severe for those, who do not own an apartment or a house or live far from their place of employment. Many of these individuals find themselves in so-called rental gap – their income is too high not to be qualified for social housing, but on the other hand they have no means of taking a commercial loan or renting privately. It is estimated that about 60% of Poles have no credit worthiness and renting an apartment on the market often consumes more than 50% of their income.
In Poland there is a lack of housing, which is both affordable and allows for stable long-term indwelling. The private market offers short, most often year-long leases in big cities and the rents are usually high. The Swiss franc crisis made it clear that ownership based on mortgage does not guarantee safety either.
It is necessary to develop social housing, which is moderately-priced rental apartments based on the not-for-profit principle. This solution is already wide-spread and popular in Western Europe and could be implemented in Poland too. The central and local governments should contribute to its development by co-financing or implementing their own projects.
