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THE HOUSING LANDSCAPE

Reimagining
Homes and Communities

Agenda
The Speakers

On Wednesday, 29th April 2026, the Housing Authority hosted its second national housing conference, bringing together policymakers, urban planners, developers, NGOs, and academics to discuss the future of housing in Malta.

Agenda
Photos

Insights, Innovation & Inclusion

How is the local housing sector adapting to a fast-changing housing landscape? At a time when housing affordability is increasingly a key headline across the EU, the Malta Housing Authority is paving the way by bringing together key stakeholders to discuss and shape the way forward. 

Agenda

Agenda

8:30

Registration & Welcome Coffee

9:00

Welcome Address

Hon. Andy Ellul

Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue and Accommodation

Matthew Zerafa

CEO, Housing Authority

9:30

Presentation

Housing Satisfaction in Malta

Dr Brian Micallef

Executive Head, Housing Authority

Beyond Walls - A Long-Term Perspective of Social Housing in Malta

Dr Dylan Cassar

University of Malta

10:00

European Affordable Housing Plan

Recorded Message

Mr Matthew Baldwin

Head of Housing Task Force, EU Commission

10:10

A Cross-Country Comparison of Housing in Europe

Keynote Speaker

Mr Dara Turnbull

Economist & Research Coordinator, Housing Europe

10:40

I Panel Discussion

Housing for All Generations: Are We Building the Right Homes in Malta?

Moderated by Karl Azzopardi, Malta Today

Perit Andre Pizzuto

President, Kamra tal-Periti

Mr Sandro Chetcuti

Chairperson, Property Malta Foundation

Mr Matthew Zerafa

CEO, Housing Authority

Prof Marie Briguglio

Faculty of Economics, Management & Accountancy, University of Malta

Mr Malcolm Bray

Head of Economics, Bank of Valletta

Ms Aleandra Muscat

Malta Vision 2050

11:40

I Q&A

11:00

Coffee Break

11:30

EU and Housing

Recorded Message

Mr Matthew Baldwin

Head of Housing Task Force, EU Commission

A Cross-Country Comparison in Social and Affordable Housing in Europe

Keynote Speaker

Ms Sorcha Edwards

Secretary General, Housing Europe

11:50

Panel Discussion II

Affordable Housing: What’s Next?

Moderated by Mark Lawrence Zammit, Times of Malta

Mr Johann Buttigieg

Executive Chairman, Planning Authority

Prof Alex Torpiano

Faculty for the Built Environment, University of Malta

Mr Matthew Zerafa

CEO, Housing Authority

Mr. Michael Stivala

President of the Malta Development Association

12:50

Q&A

11:45

Closing Remarks

Matthew Zerafa

CEO, Housing Authority

12:00

Networking Lunch

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Conference Presentations

Dr Brian Micallef

The Housing Authority at (almost) 50: Evolving Roles and Responsibilities

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Dr Dylan Cassar

Beyond Walls – A Long-Term Perspective of Social Housing in Malta

View Presentation

Ms Sorcha Edwards

A Cross-Country Comparison in Social and Affordable Housing in Europe

View Presentation

The Speakers

Matthew Zerafa

Chief Executive Officer, Malta Housing Authority

Matthew Zerafa is the CEO of the Malta Housing Authority having previously served as the Head of Secretariat and Policy Adviser at the Ministry for Social and Affordable Accommodation. He was involved in key housing initiatives, including a number of key reforms.

During his tenure, Mr Zerafa has focused on making the Housing Authority more accessible and efficient. He has overseen a digitalisation project to improve services and has encouraged better collaboration between government agencies, strengthening data sharing in the housing sector. His approach prioritises public engagement, stakeholder management, affordability, and housing quality while also working to improve compliance matters and research efforts.

Mr Zerafa holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a Master’s degree in Intelligence and Security, with a focus on enforcement within Maltese public entities. His academic background also includes studies in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Psychotherapy, which have helped shape his influence on housing policy and administration.

Dr Brian Micallef

Executive Head for Digitalisation, Legal and Communications, Malta Housing Authority

Dr Brian Micallef is an Economist and the Executive Head responsible for Digitalisation, Legal and Communications at the Housing Authority.

He holds two doctoral degrees—a PhD in Social Policy from the University of Bristol and a PhD in Economics from the University of Portsmouth—as well as additional degrees in economics from the University of Malta. His research interests include survey methodology, migration and the housing market.

Dr Micallef is a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy of the University of Malta. Before joining the Housing Authority in 2023, Dr Micallef was the manager of the Economic Research office at the Central Bank of Malta.

Dara Turnbull

Research Coordinator, Housing Europe

Dara Turnbull is the Research Coordinator at Housing Europe, bringing together various strands of our work.

This includes the preparation of research for the Observatory, coordinating knowledge sharing with and between our members, as well as working with our Innovation & Projects manager in ensuring the successful participation of Housing Europe in a number of EU level projects.

An economist by training, Dara also brings five years of expertise in the area of finance to bear on analysis of issues concerning the financing of social housing and of national and EU funding schemes related to the provision of non-market housing solutions.

Perit Andre Pizzuto

President, Kamra tal-Periti

Andre Pizzuto graduated in engineering and architecture at the University of Malta in 2002 and was granted a professional warrant to practise as an architect and civil engineer in Malta in 2004.

He successfully read for a master’s degree in Planning Policy & Practice at London South Bank University in 2011. In 2016, he was conferred an MBA in Real Estate and Construction Management at the University College of Estate Management, Reading, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Pizzuto is the Managing Director of Design Principle, an architecture firm he set up in 2004, based in Valletta. He was also Executive Head of the Property Services Department at the Housing Authority of Malta between 2011 and 2013. He was elected as Council Member since December 2014, occupying the post of Vice-President and Treasurer of the Kamra tal-Periti in between January 2019 and December 2020, during which time he was the chief author and editor of A Modern Building & Construction Regulation Framework for Malta, which sets out Kamra’s official policy on industry reform, and also set up the national architecture awards, Premju Emanuele Luigi Galizia. Andre was elected to the post of President since December 2020.

In November 2023, he was also elected to the Architects’ Council of Europe, where he occupied the role of Vice Treasurer until the end of 2025.

Sandro Chetcuti

Chairperson, Property Malta Foundation

Mr Sandro Chetcuti is currently the Chairperson of the Property Malta Foundation.

He is the founder of the Malta Developers Association (MDA) and brings over 30 years of experience in the real estate sector. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in shaping Malta’s property development landscape, establishing himself as a leading figure within the industry.

Mr Chetcuti has been actively involved in representing and advocating for the interests of the development sector, contributing to national discussions on housing, planning, and sustainable development.

Prof. Marie Briguglio

Associate Professor, University of Malta

Professor Marie Briguglio (B.Com., BA Hons. Econ., M.Sc. Env. & Res. Econ. (UCL), Ph.D. (Stirling)) works at the Department of Economics at the University of Malta, where she teaches and conducts research in environmental and behavioural economics.

Over the last 15 years, she has led 30 funded research projects, authored around 200 publications and delivered over 150 conference presentations worldwide, including 30 keynote addresses. She has led dozens of consultations or public education meetings, and her work has been extensively covered in national and international media. Earlier in her career, Marie worked in the public sector on environmental governance at national, European, and international levels. She is currently the Executive Director of the Society for the Advancement of Behavioural Economics, among other boards.

She has written and presented several hundred hours of broadcast television and has received awards and honours in broadcasting, writing, creativity, and research. Marie lives with her daughter in Għargħur, where she enjoys gardening, running and village life.

Malcolm Bray

Head of Economics, Bank of Valletta

Malcolm Bray is an economist with academic training from the University of Malta and the University of York.

He began his career at the Central Bank of Malta in 1999, where he focused on monitoring economic trends, developing econometric models, and managing the financial stability office. In 2015, he was appointed Chief Economist at the Malta Fiscal Advisory Council, leading the endorsement process for the government’s macroeconomic and fiscal forecasts. He joined Bank of Valletta in 2022 and currently heads the bank’s economics department, providing strategic economic analysis to support the bank’s work across finance, risk management, business development, wealth management, communications, training, and corporate strategy.

Alongside his professional roles, Mr Bray is a Visiting Senior Lecturer at the University of Malta and has taught at several other tertiary institutions in Malta. He has also worked as an independent consultant, contributing to projects on financial capability and cost-benefit analysis.

Aleandra Muscat

Malta Vision 2050

Aleandra Muscat is a Manager within the Malta Vision 2050 – Coordination and Implementation team at the Office of the Prime Minister, where she plays a key role in policy coordination and the implementation of cross-government initiatives.

She holds a degree in Economics from the University of London and has built her career as an economist across various government institutions.

Drawing on this experience, she has contributed extensively to economic analysis and policy development, gaining practical insight into the formulation and implementation of economic policy within the public sector.

The Venue

Oracle Conference Centre, DoubleTree by Hilton, Qawra St Paul's Bay

Free Parking Available
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This event has been accredited with 3 hours of structured CPE qualifying under Professional Development competency as per the Accountancy Board Accreditation Rules.

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Throughout his political career, Galdes has held various ministerial positions:​ 

 

  • Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights (2013-2017): In this role, he oversaw significant reforms, including the modernization of the fisheries sector and the enactment of Malta’s first National Agricultural Policy. ​  
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Social Housing (2017-2020): Galdes initiated several housing schemes aimed at improving social housing infrastructure and accessibility. ​  
  • Minister for Social Accommodation (2020 – Present): He continued to focus on social housing projects, emphasizing the development of affordable and quality housing for Maltese citizens. ​ He has launched ambitious projects, such as a record of national social housing projects and the legal amendments of the pre 1995 rent law. 

Hon. Galdes is known for emphasizing the social aspect of politics, considering it his strongest trait. He has been instrumental in rent reform, marking it as one of his significant political achievements.  

Throughout his career, Hon. Roderick Galdes has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing social welfare and housing in Malta, focusing on policies that aim to improve the quality of life for all citizens. 

Minister Roderick Galdes has spearheaded the most ambitious and wide-reaching reforms in Malta’s social housing sector in recent history. Under his leadership, Malta has witnessed the largest-ever investment in social housing, resulting in the construction and allocation of hundreds of modern, social housing units across the country. His tenure ranged from introducing Malta’s first comprehensive rent reform to launching large-scale housing projects aimed at long-term social inclusion and economic security. His policies have redefined the national approach to affordable living and established a lasting framework for dignified housing.

His leadership saw the launch of the New Hope Scheme, which provides access to home loans for people with serious medical conditions or disabilities who are often excluded by commercial banks despite financial stability. 

Additionally, he expanded the Equity Sharing Scheme, a groundbreaking initiative that allows eligible individuals to become homeowners.  

Minister Roderick Galdes has redefined Malta’s approach to social accommodation by moving beyond traditional rental support and actively creating pathways for vulnerable individuals to become homeowners.