A Million Euros for a Home in the Countryside: Who Can Get the Support
The support program for young families continues this year, with particularly favorable conditions awaiting young farmers.
The support program for young families continues this year, with particularly favorable conditions awaiting young farmers.
Young families who see their future in rural areas can again count on significant state assistance in solving their housing issues this year. In the 2026 budget, one million euros have been allocated for the Program to Improve Housing Conditions for Young Families in Rural Areas, and these funds are used for the purchase, construction, or renovation of residential units.
The program, launched in 2024, aims to encourage young people to stay in or move to smaller communities, thereby contributing to demographic renewal. Support is available to young families, including single-parent families, but it's important to note that the money is not given directly to citizens but through local self-government units.
Municipalities and towns with fewer than six thousand inhabitants, according to the 2021 census, participate in the program's implementation. A key prerequisite is that these local communities already run their own housing programs for young people. When a municipality or town grants support to a beneficiary, the state co-finances that amount.
The interest in this form of assistance is confirmed by figures from the previous period. So far, the program has covered 714 young families in 107 local communities across Croatia.
The most favorable conditions are reserved for young farmers, who can receive full financing of the support amount previously approved by their town or municipality. To qualify, they must not be older than 40 in the year of application and must have been registered in the Register of Farmers or the Register of Family Farms for at least one year.
For all other beneficiaries not in this category, the amount of state co-financing will depend on the number of applications received and available funds, which means it may be proportionally reduced.
The housing support program is part of a broader policy aimed at improving the quality of life and stopping the outflow of population from rural areas. Securing housing is key to retaining young families in smaller communities or encouraging them to start a new life there.
The Croatian model emphasizes linking the state and local levels. Municipalities and smaller towns support young people through their initiatives, and the state increases the impact of that support through additional co-financing. For young families who want to stay in the countryside, this can ease the path to owning a home, and every new or retained resident represents an important step forward in demographic renewal for local communities.
