According to figures obtained by the green member of the Flemish Parliament Nadia Naji, around 4 in 10 people on the waiting list for social housing in Flanders face waiting more than 10 years before they are given social housing. Data provided by the Flemish Housing Minister Hans Bonte (socialist) shows that while the average waiting time is currently 4.8 years, the figure is skewed by a minority of faster allocations.
40% of people on social housing waiting lists in Flanders face waits of more than 10 years
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In 2024, 8,864 social housing units were assigned to new tenants. Meanwhile, the waiting list for social housing in Flanders grew by nearly 22,000 households. By the end of 2025, a total of 209,843 households were registered on waiting lists for social housing.
Although roughly 35% of applicants are assigned social housing within two years of registering on a waiting list, these cases often involve priority groups such as the homeless. Most applicants wait significantly longer. 3 in 5 applicants are only offered social housing after having spent more than 4 years on a waiting list.
Ms Naji argues that the average waiting time “does not reflect reality” for low-income households, many of whom face prolonged uncertainty. She also criticised the stricter language and employment requirements imposed by the Flemish Government, calling them unfair given the lengthy delays.
The Flemish Government aims to build 50,000 social housing units by 2042.