News item | 12-12-2023 | 14:44
The Senate has approved adjustments to the Housing Act 2014, which are expected to come into effect from 1 January 2024. These changes give municipalities more scope to support specific target groups, their own residents and people with certain professions in finding an affordable rental home or new-build owner-occupied home.
Priority for local ties and crucial professions
The new Housing Act 2014 gives municipalities broader powers to allocate certain homes in the municipality to specific home seekers. For example, a municipality will soon be allowed to give priority to people with an economic, social or local bond with the municipality for half of the available rental homes and new-build owner-occupied homes up to the affordability limit (in 2024: 390,000 euros). In addition, they can designate certain professions, such as teachers, nurses and police officers, as crucial, which will provide them with better help in finding a home. At the moment, some home seekers are not entering the housing market, which reduces the quality of life in municipalities.
The new Housing Act 2014 allows municipalities to give priority to new construction projects if there are multiple candidates. For example, to buyers with a connection with the municipality and people with a crucial profession for that municipality. This means that buyers of a new-build home in some municipalities must apply for a housing permit for homes with a sales price up to the affordability limit (in 2024: 390,000 euros).
The purpose of the Housing Act, which came into effect in 2014, aims to ensure a balanced and fair distribution of housing, so that everyone has the opportunity to find affordable housing. Municipalities decide for themselves whether they make use of the new options.