On 22–23 October, Eurhonet members gathered in Bari, Italy, for the Annual Conference and General Assembly 2025.
The event was hosted by ARCA Puglia Centrale under the auspices of Regione Puglia. It brought together housing professionals from across Europe to share ideas, best practices, and strategies to strengthen the future of public and social housing.
Opening Remarks
The conference began with welcoming speeches from Vito Leccese, Mayor of Bari, and Giuseppe Catalano, Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Puglia Region. Both speakers highlighted how public housing promotes inclusion and improves the quality of life for residents in the region.
Shared challenges and opportunities
In his address, Marco Corradi reflected on shared challenges and opportunities within the network, emphasising the growing political momentum for housing at European level, the need to diversify housing offers, and the importance of investing in both new construction and the improvement of existing stock. A keynote by Eleonora Perobelli, Lecturer at SDA Bocconi, explored how adopting a management perspective can strengthen the governance of social and public housing, bridging local action and EU-level policymaking.
Showcasing best practices
The morning continued with a series of best practice presentations, where members showcased innovative services designed to improve tenants’ experiences. Among the cases presented were initiatives from ARCA Puglia Centrale, Münchner Wohnen, Poplar HARCA, and LKF.
The session also included reflections from Emiliano Rocchetti (International Union of Tenants) and Angelo Garofoli (Sunia), who highlighted the value of collaboration and mutual respect between residents and housing providers.
Exploring Urban Regeneration in Bari
In the afternoon, Prof. Adolfo F. L. Baratta and Prof. Fabrizio Finucci from Università degli Studi Roma TRE introduced the urban regeneration project of San Girolamo, a district in Bari undergoing major transformation.
Participants then visited the area to see how strategic planning and community engagement can revitalise neighbourhoods and strengthen social cohesion.
New Leadership and Future Priorities
On the following day, Eurhonet members met for the General Assembly to review recent activities and outline future priorities. The meeting also marked an important change in leadership: Antonio Parolini, CEO of Arte IMPERIA (Italy), was elected President of Eurhonet for 2025–2027.
Mr Parolini succeeds Marco Corradi, who led the network over the past year. Members thanked Mr Corradi for his dedication and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting collaboration, innovation, and learning in the European housing sector under the new presidency.
The two-day event in Bari reflected Eurhonet’s enduring spirit of exchange and cooperation. It provided fresh motivation to continue improving the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of social housing across Europe.
