Fourteen experts from the property, building, social housing and rental sectors in Belgium have published an open letter warning policymakers that a housing crisis is looming that will make it impossible for average citizens to buy a home.
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Real estate and building sectors warn of “unprecedented” housing crisis
Lisa Bradshaw
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Four sectors have come together to publish an open letter about the housing situation in Belgium. From their own perspectives they all see the same thing coming, they say – a crisis that will see fewer and fewer families owning a home and struggling to pay rising rental costs.
“In Belgium, some 75% of people own a home, 20% are renting and 5% living in social housing,” reads the letter. “But the first category is in decline … People who are renting in the private rental market are facing with increasing problems in terms of affordability and quality. And people in need of social housing are burdened by endless waiting lists.”
According to the experts – which include representatives from real estate sector association BVS, the United Owners organisation and the tenant association Vlaams Huurdersplatform – the ability to provide new housing is shrinking even as the demand outweighs the supply. Slow procedures for building permits and regulations that are not adapted to the current society are a big part of the problem, according to Lorenzo Van Tornhaut, who spoke to Radio 1.
Interest rates are rising, and it’s getting more difficult to get a mortgage
Lorenzo Van Tornhaut
“Interest rates are rising, and it’s getting more difficult to get a mortgage,” said Van Tornhaut, a real estate developer and guest lecturer at KU Leuven. “And there are systematically fewer homes being approved and built every year. Everyone who signed this letter is aware that this situation is not likely to change anytime soon. There is pressure on every subsector of housing.”
According to the experts, affordable housing will be a thing of the past within three years if action is not taken now. “Those in the most vulnerable situation are renters, who often earn less than homeowners,” said Van Tornhaut. “They are the first to feel the pressure.”
It’s “the tradition in Belgium,” he continues, “to buy a house if you have an adequate salary. But that model of ownership has hit a ceiling. One of the symptoms of a looming housing crisis is that the number of owners goes into decline.”
According to the signers of the open letter, there is no consensus on housing policies, which are also not taken into consideration when setting other legislation, such as agriculture, biodiversity and mobility. “Local authorities are working in their own bubbles,” emphasised Van Tornhaut. “There is little consultation between municipalities, even though the connection between the cities and surrounding towns is crucial.”
In the end, he says, “there’s no sense of urgency. They just don’t see how serious the situation is.”
The experts are asking for a unified approach to housing – “a housing revolution that guarantees that every Belgian can enjoy the basic right to a decent home,” said Van Tornhaut. “Politicians must dare to experiment instead of sticking to the same old formulas.”