This report brings together two strands of work at the OECD: inequality and inclusive growth, on the one hand, and housing policies on the other.

This report explores the ways in which housing matters for inclusive growth. Drawing on the OECDFramework for Policy Action on Inclusive Growth, which calls on governments to invest in people and places that have been left behind, this report focuses on housing outcomes and trends, identifies groups that are at risk of housing exclusion, and points to housing policy avenues that support growth in an inclusive manner.

This section provides an overview of the main findings in this report. It begins by outlining why housing matters for inclusive growth. It identifies groups that are at risk of housing exclusion, with a closer look at housing outcomes and opportunities among low-income households, children, youth, seniors and the homeless. Finally, it assesses how public policies can facilitate inclusive growth, with a series of recommendations to guide policy makers towards more inclusive housing outcomes.

This section outlines the extent to which the housing market can be a barrier to inclusive growth for some groups, such as low-income households, children, youth, seniors and the homeless. Low-income households are more likely to be overburdened by housing costs and record the highest rates of overcrowding. Children are among those most likely to live in poor quality housing and neighbourhoods, making it hard to ensure a good start in life. Today’s youth most commonly live with their parents, facing increasingly limited opportunities in the housing market. An important share of seniors who do not own their homes outright pay over 40% of their income on housing. Meanwhile, the rate of homelessness has increased in a third of OECD countries, including among youth, families with children, and seniors in some countries.

This section assesses the housing policy response in OECD countries and proposes a series of policy considerations to support more inclusive housing outcomes. A first series of considerations are more structural, aiming to boost the supply of affordable housing and address some of the distortions in the housing market that have an impact on inclusion and affordability. The second set aims to improve the housing outcomes and opportunities of low-income households, children, youth, seniors and the homeless.