The Housing Situation of Residents of Greece in the Time of Crisis 2008-2012

This paper aims to describe trends in the housing of the Greek population (including immigrants) during the years of economic crisis, from the viewpoint of both the quality of housing and the potential for households to continue to maintain their residences. The population characteristics of the country are outlined, including immigration, and the structure of households as to the type of family to which they belong are catalogued. The paper then considers the housing situation of households relative to their income levels. According to the findings, many households have experienced a decline in the quality of their housing, while a significant number of households is under threat because of indebtedness, either because of the financial burden on privately-owned homes or because the ability to access social housing has declined