There are vast economic, social, and demographic inequalities between different regions within the EU. The out-migration of highly educated youth to urban areas has become a particular concern to some regions that are eager to attract and retain talent as a regional economic development strategy (Carson et al. 2021, Makkai et al. 2017). As a result, there is an increasing drive to find policies and best practices that can be used to draw and keep talent in regions facing demographic decline.
This article considers whether and how new approaches to housing provision can be used to attract and retain talent in regional areas. Taking a qualitative approach, it begins by reviewing the literature on the role of housing in influencing regional attractiveness. It then discusses specific ways that the development of housing and, more generally, residential areas, can be used to attract and retain talent by way of an illustrative case study approach that presents examples from Sweden, Italy, and the Netherlands. The paper concludes with a discussion highlighting the key takeaways from the article and suggestions for future research.