The Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands “Housing is a social good”
The Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands, Giannis Trepeklis, at the European Parliament:
“Housing is a social good — We must support the future of young people with real solutions, so they can remain in their homeland.”
During the regular meeting of the Special Committee on the housing crisis in the European Union, held at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, the Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands, Giannis Trepeklis, participated as the representative of Greece’s island Regions, conveying the voice of local communities suffering from intense housing pressure.
The Regional Governor highlighted the housing problem on the islands as one of the greatest social challenges of our time, stressing that the excessive shift of properties to tourist use has driven the cost of living upwards and led to a shortage of homes for workers, teachers, doctors, and students.
“We are not speaking only about those who come to work in hotels and tourism businesses, but about the very residents who live here all year round. While private initiative gallops ahead, what we leave behind is a ‘cliff edge’ for permanent residents,” Mr Trepeklis noted characteristically.
He emphasised that policies based on allowances cannot provide a long-term solution, as rental prices continue to rise and temporary financial support is quickly exhausted. Instead, he underlined that the only sustainable solution is the establishment of a social housing programme with stable funding and European support.
“From the Region’s modest budget we provide €450 per month to employees and doctors who cannot find housing. But these are temporary measures. What is needed is a stable funding package. The solution is social housing,” the Regional Governor stated.
Mr Trepeklis also referred to the initiative of the Ionian Islands Region to revise its operational programme (ESPA), aiming to allocate €16 million towards the creation of social housing through the renovation and utilisation of existing buildings, such as old public facilities, hospitals, and infrastructures currently lying unused.
“We must aim not only at supporting rent, but primarily at helping people acquire their own home. Only then will we provide real solutions and support young people to remain on their islands,” he stressed.
The Regional Governor appealed to the Members of the European Parliament in the Committee to support the creation of a special European funding instrument for housing, tailored to the particularities of island regions, where the cost of living and housing is disproportionately high.
“The mission of the MEPs participating in this Committee is a heavy one: to support the future of young people and the fundamental good of housing. If someone does not have a home, nothing else makes sense. It is time to refocus on people and the problems of everyday life,” noted the Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands.
Representatives from France, Spain, and Portugal also took part in the meeting, presenting corresponding national experiences.
Among the MEPs present was also the Greek Member of the European Parliament, Giorgos Aftias, who in his brief statement praised the stance and initiatives of the Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands, describing them as “an example of political action with a strong social dimension.”
