A flat in Zagreb, Split or on the coast stopped being a mere “piece of real estate” long ago — for most young people it’s a financial mission impossible. That’s why the state passed the Affordable Housing Act (Official Gazette 45/2026) back in April, and this week the rulebook arrived: the Official Gazette 117/2026 published the Rulebook on the Preparation of Affordable Housing Programs. It enters into force on 22 October 2026 and sets out how cities, municipalities and counties must draft their programs to unlock state funding for cheaper housing. Here’s what you need to know — without the legal jargon.
What is affordable housing, in short?
The idea is simple: the state, cities (through the Agency for Property Transactions and Real Estate Mediation — APN) and public institutions build or secure flats at prices well below market rates. The April Act defines as many as nine measures — from below-market rent and subsidies to purchasing the flat.
The headline number: depending on your citizen category, purchase prices are set at a coefficient of 0.65 to 1.00 — meaning some buyers pay 65% of the price, i.e. up to 35% below market. In return, a flat bought at the preferential price cannot be sold or rented out for 35 years, and APN and the local unit hold a right of first refusal. Fair enough.
What does the new Rulebook bring?
The Rulebook is basically a recipe for cities: what an affordable housing program must look like, what data it must contain, and how programs will be assessed and ranked. Key points:
- Three types of programs — local, regional and national. They are adopted for one budget year, with the option of amendments.
- A local or regional program must contain 17 elements: description of the situation, housing gap, affordability index, financial framework, active land policy, circular use of space, green infrastructure, result indicators, deadlines and implementing bodies…
- Scoring from 1 to 5 (insufficient to excellent) is done by a Commission — for the local contribution, project readiness, circular economy, green infrastructure and coverage of target groups.
- Ranking follows four keys: affordability index, housing gap, balanced regional development and the financial support needed.
- Project readiness is scored brutally honestly: score 1 if property still has to be purchased, top score 5 if the land is serviced and a building permit already exists. Cities that prepared the ground get the money first.
- Everything is public: the Ministry publishes a table with scores and the ranking of all submitted programs on its website.
Why should you care?
If you’re a young person who has been putting life on hold because of rent — this is the mechanism that could one day save you tens of thousands of euros. Here’s what you can do right now:
- Follow your city: programs are adopted per budget year, so cities that want to build in 2027 need to move as soon as the rulebook takes effect.
- Watch APN’s public calls — flat applications go exclusively through them.
- Monitor the publications of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets: the scoring table shows which cities are serious about the project.
- Prepare your paperwork and check which of the eight target categories you fall into — the 0.65 coefficient is not for everyone.
Deadlines and fine print
- Rulebook published in Official Gazette 117/2026 of 14 October 2026, enters into force on 22 October 2026.
- Adopted by the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets under Article 10 of the Affordable Housing Act.
- Programs are valid for one budget year; the national program is coordinated by APN together with the Ministry.
Note: this article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. For the specific status of your city, check the official publications of the Ministry and APN.