Who’s doing it; Who is not?
Here’s a consolidated table of direct public spending on housing as a percentage of GDP for countries with available data. This excludes private sector activity and focuses only on government expenditures—such as housing allowances, public housing construction, and subsidies—based on OECD, Eurostat, and national budget sources.
| Country | Direct Public Spending (% of GDP) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 4.3% | High due to tax credits and capital transfers for housing renovation and energy upgrades |
| Finland | 1.4% | Strong social housing and housing allowance programs |
| United Kingdom | 1.4% | Primarily housing benefit payments; limited new construction |
| France | 1.3% | Mix of housing allowances and social housing investment |
| Singapore | ~1.2% (estimated) | Centralized HDB-led housing supply; off-budget financing not fully captured in GDP |
| Canada | ~0.7% | ~$17.5B/year under National Housing Strategy |
| South Korea | ~0.5–0.7% (estimated) | Public housing and land development; varies by year |
| Germany | ~0.5% | Focus on rent subsidies; limited direct construction |
| United States | ~0.3–0.4% | HUD programs, Section 8, public housing capital; mostly demand-side |
| Netherlands | Strong homeownership subsidies; limited direct public housing |
