The number of social housing units is decreasing year by year: In the former West Germany, there were still 4.2 million in 1978 (across all funding channels); by 2002, it was estimated that only 2.1 million units were still subject to funding regulations. With the expiration of social commitments, the number of social housing units is likely to continue to decline in the future. This raises the question of how to secure a stock of occupancy-bound housing. In a comparative analysis of Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, and Sweden, Joachim Kirchner examines the social rental housing sector (e.g., eligibility for housing, allocation of apartments, resident structure, and measures to establish occupancy binding), the proportion of social housing, and the housing policy context. He then presents studies on each of the countries, focusing on the history of housing policy.