This session aims to critically explore the evolving dynamics of housing markets and systems in cities across Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, regions that represent the semi-periphery of Europe. While extensive research has been conducted on housing in Western European cities, these regions remain comparatively understudied. The session addresses this research gap by focusing on the specific housing transformations occurring in these areas.

Housing dynamics are understood as the result of global processes, such as the financialization, commodification, and touristification of housing, combined with local, context-specific factors, including welfare state models, institutional frameworks of urban planning, and the legacies of historical transformations. The session will also explore how cities in these regions are navigating significant challenges, such as insufficient affordable housing, a high price-to-income ratio, residential segregation, discrimination, and underdeveloped rental systems.

We welcome empirical and theoretical contributions that examine:

– The impact of financialization on housing affordability and access;

– The role of touristification in reshaping urban neighborhoods and housing supply;

– The persistence of post-socialist legacies in contemporary housing systems;

– Comparative analyses of housing policies and planning frameworks across the region;

– The influence of migration and demographic changes on housing demand and urban transformations;

– Other related issues concerning housing and urban development.

This session will provide an interdisciplinary platform for scholars and practitioners to engage in comparative discussions, deepening the understanding of the complex housing dynamics in this under-researched region. It also seeks to propose actionable insights for addressing housing challenges in these rapidly evolving urban environments.