Hidden Burdens, Persistent Gaps - Housing Conditions and Energy Poverty in Croatia

Overview & Synopsis

The analysis draws primarily on the World Bank report Warm Homes, Cold Realities: Housing Conditions and Energy Vulnerability in the European Union (2026), which examines housing and energy poverty patterns across the 4CEE countries using EU-SILC data, including the 2023 special module on energy efficiency of the household, alongside data from the Life in Transition Survey (LiTS) and Eurostat indicators. The note is complemented by Croatian national policy documents and programs, including renovation and energy poverty initiatives led by the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction, and Housing, the Ombudswoman's Annual Report for 2024, the OECD Economic Survey of Croatia 2026, and the European Commission's European Affordable Housing Plan (2025). The note is structured as follows: Section 2 examines housing tenure patterns and affordability challenges in Croatia relative to its regional peers and the broader EU; Section 3 assesses housing conditions, renovation gaps, and energy efficiency; Section 4 analyzes energy poverty and household energy vulnerability; Section 5 reviews Croatia's renovation programs and evolving policy framework; and Section 6 presents prioritized policy recommendations.