Housing: A Human Right or a Financial Asset? | Leilani Farha (The Shift)

Shownotes

How are investors changing the housing market and what political actions are needed to counteract it? With Leilani Farha, Global Director of The Shift and former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing, joins us to discuss the financialization of housing, where homes are no longer seen primarily as places to live but as speculative financial assets.

Landlords without faces, apartments without tenants—how do we reclaim our cities? Private investors, large funds, and complex financial instruments are reshaping housing markets worldwide. What are the consequences for tenants and communities? And with developments at the European level, do we have a real chance of making housing a human right rather than just an investment opportunity?

We’ll explore practical solutions—from stronger legal regulations and social housing policies to innovative ideas like profit caps to curb speculative gains. Drawing from her work with governments, investors, and grassroots movements, Leilani will share insights on how we can push back against the commodification of housing and reclaim homes as a fundamental human right.

Link to the YouTube version with German subtitles: https://youtu.be/XsNUNdZm_Q8 Link to Leilani’s podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Swm2H6r94CBGgfXYa2WKz

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Money Matters is a podcast by and with Rasmus Andresen, Member of the European Parliament for the Greens. Hosts: Anna-Lena Kümpel & Rasmus Andresen Concept: Jonas Illigmann Production: BosePark Productions

Episode Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 02:21 – Guest introduction: Leilani Farha and The Shift 05:31 – The right to housing and its practical implementation 07:24 – Transition from the UN to The Shift 10:17 – A look back at the last 10 years: Changes in the housing sector 13:15 – Financialization of housing: Definition and global examples 19:06 – Financialization in Europe: Influence of U.S. investment funds 25:24 – Developments at the EU level: A new focus on housing 28:59 – Challenges posed by political divides in the EU 35:32 – What can governments do? Approaches to solving the housing crisis 43:55 – Housing crisis in rural and urban areas 48:08 – Conclusion: Progress and challenges in the housing sector