From Building Boom to Bust: Changing Housing Policies and Ways of Residing

The purpose of this chapter is to present and discuss factors influencing ways of residing up to and during the years leading up to the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) as well as presently. The activity in the housing construction sector in the Nordic and Baltic countries was at a very high level until 2005–2007. Urban sprawl and overinvestment in business premises and housing were important risks to be considered. The high economic activity also led to an increase in the cost of housing and hence to affordability problems in major cities. Many new urban quarters and towns came into planning in this period. The aim is especially to give an overview of how the economic and financial crisis affected the ways of residing in ten countries in: a) the Nordic countries, b) Western Europe, and in c) Eastern Europe. This is done by analysing how demographic and economic factors have influenced ways of residing measured by urbanisation, type of dwelling, and type of tenure.