Scaling Up Innovation: Partnerships at the Heart of Successful European Projects
When European cities talk about the housing crisis, the conversation often centers on limits—tight budgets, restrictive legal frameworks, and a lack of space. However, true innovation means facing a complex future head-on. By building strong partnerships, cities gain the vehicle—and the co-created confidence—needed to overcome these challenges. The final conference of the Cities 4 Co-Housing Innovation Transfer Network in Brussels marked the culmination of two years of intensive work. The atmosphere was one of arrival, execution, and a shared look into the future.
Bringing to a close a journey that culminated in June 2026, the network's six partners gathered to answer a crucial, continent-wide question: How can affordable, inclusive, and collaborative housing models—like Brussels' pioneering CALICO project—be scaled up through different investment channels in Europe?
As the network wraps up its formal URBACT chapter, the lesson is clear: making affordable housing a reality across Europe requires robust partnership building at the city level, between European municipalities, and with other EU institutions and stakeholders. Partnerships are the key to transferring innovation, building the confidence to deliver even when national policies are absent, and maintaining momentum.
