HOUSING POLICY RESPONSES TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS POLICY ROUND TABLE, 14 MAY 2020, 15.00 TO 17.00 The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting housing markets around the world. Individuals faced with job and/or income losses are finding it difficult to pay their rent or housing loans. Travel restrictions are taking their toll on tourism and therefore occupancy rates of short-term accomodation, which had fuelled housing investment in many cities. Confinement is constraining construction activity and investment in both residential and commercial real estate. Governments are responding through a variety of initiatives. For example, moratoria have been introduced in many countries for rent and mortgage payments for the duration of containment and confinement measures. Eviction bans have also been introduced to protect individuals and households in default of their housing loan obligations. More generally, support for workers, firms and financial institutions is also helping by containing income and revenue losses. The round table will bring together experts, policy-makers and delegates to discuss key challenges brought about by the COVID-19 crisis and possible housing policy responses. The round table is part of the OECD Horizontal Housing project, which aims at providing evidence-based analysis to help governments design and implement coherent policy strategies to ensure a well-functioning and sustainable housing sector. 6 The main topics for discussion are:
How is the COVID-19 crisis affecting housing markets? What tenures of housing markets are at greatest risk? How can loss of homes and evictions be prevented?
What are the most effective policy options to deal with the crisis? What is the experience of different countries to date? Can good practices be identified?
What policies can best prepare housing markets for the recovery phase? What are the key challenges for the future?
15:00-15:10
Opening and welcome remarks from the Secretariat ‒
15:10-15:30
Tackling the Covid-19 crisis: Stocktaking of housing policies ‒ ‒
15:30-16:15
Luiz de Mello, Director, Policy Studies Branch, Economics Department, OECD
Konstantin Kholodilin, Senior Researcher, DIW, Germany Willem Adema, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECD
Policy round table: Housing policy challenges and initiatives ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
Ana Pinho, State Secretary for Housing, Portugal Kurt Usowski, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs, Department of Housing and Urban Development, United States Oscar Vela, Chief Financial Officer of INFONAVIT, Mexico Jeske de Lint, Head of Housing Unit, ministry of Interior, the Netherlands
Panel wrap-up ‒ 16:15-16:45
Discussants ‒ ‒
16:45-17:00
Gabriela Ramos, OECD Chief of Staff and Sherpa to the G20
Luca Bartelot, Secretary General, European Mortgage Federation Danae Kyriakopoulou, Chief Economist, OMFIF
Wrap-up and conclusions