First West-Flemish merger of housing companies recognised

Housing company Impuls Menen, the Wervik part of CVBA De Leie and SVK Woonkey from Ieper are merging. Together they have 2,600 social homes under their care. However, there are still 1,800 people on the waiting list in the region.

“Thanks to the merger, for example, people who are doubly registered will only be on the list once, which means that places will become available and they can also be helped faster with a home,” says director Sonny Ghesquière. (Read below the photo.)

Reform

The social sector is restructuring. The current 82 social housing companies and 48 social rental offices are reorganizing themselves into 42 housing companies. According to Flemish Minister of Housing Matthias Diependaele, this merger is to the advantage of the tenants and local authorities. The large housing companies will be able to work more efficiently and be more effective, he says. (read more below the photo)

Building capacity also needs to be strengthened. “We have the means to build, but we cannot convert the money into bricks. That is because, for example, local authorities do not give approval, or because there are neighborhood protests. With the mergers we want to ensure that there is more clout to do so.” realize it,” says Minister Diependaele.

Criticism

At the end of last year, more than 32,000 people from West Flanders were on a waiting list for social housing. Only East Flanders and Antwerp score worse.

But a merger of social housing companies will have no impact on the waiting lists, according to Flemish MP Maxim Veys (Vooruit). Ichtegem and Ardooie are among the worst students, he says. The waiting lists are not necessarily the longest there, but very little is being built. So there is less chance to shorten the waiting lists.

“At a time when we have the longest waiting list ever, the Flemish Government opted for merger operations. They ensure that people stop and focus on themselves, instead of on the solution against poverty: building more affordable housing.” says Maxim Veys. “The key to this lies with the municipalities, they are the ones who decide.”