European Commission Responds to 33 MEPs on Redevelopment of Alexandras Avenue Refugee Housing

The European Commission has confirmed that the long-awaited rehabilitation of the Prosfigika housing complex on Alexandras Avenue has been included in the Attica 2021-2027 programme.

The response came after a question supported by 33 members of the European Parliament. Raffaele Fitto, the Commission’s executive vice-president, said the restoration and energy-efficient renovation of the region-owned residential complex would be financed through the European Regional Development Fund.

The project falls under specific objective 4.7 of the fund. Its stated aim is to make the renovated homes available mainly to vulnerable groups. The programme’s interim review was approved in February 2026, after the relevant amendment had already received approval from the programme’s monitoring committee and partners.

Fitto also clarified that thematic enabling condition 4.4 does not apply to this action. Cohesion policy operates under shared management, meaning member states remain responsible for selecting and supervising projects.

The planning, implementation and selection of operations must comply with horizontal principles, including the fundamental rights protected by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Member states must maintain mechanisms to ensure that projects follow the Charter.

The Commission also linked the project to wider housing policy. A proposed Council recommendation on combating housing exclusion emphasizes long-term, people-centred solutions and prevention of exclusion and homelessness. It calls for measures to reduce the risk of eviction and homelessness, while European legal instruments require protection for people facing eviction, consultation with affected parties and access to decent alternative housing.