Flanders Launches Task Force to Tackle Housing Crisis with Allocation Worth USS$6.1 billion

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BELGIUM: Flanders is forming a task force to promote larger, more affordable, and sustainable housing, as announced on Monday in the Flemish parliament.

By 2050, the region will require 450,000 additional homes to meet the needs of an ageing population and an increase in smaller households. At the same time, the rental market remains overheated, and no new open spaces can be developed after 2040.

These challenges represent what Flemish Housing Minister Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) and Environment Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V) describe as a "gigantic challenge." The task force will prioritize sustainable housing in well-connected areas, balancing affordability with the preservation of nature, green spaces, and water resources. Depraetere emphasized the scale of the effort, revealing that a "historic budget" of US$6.1 billion will be allocated during this legislative term for the construction and renovation of social housing. She also stressed the importance of supporting local authorities and considering innovative solutions, such as repurposing public buildings.

This initiative reflects broader trends across Europe, where affordable housing is under increasing pressure. In 2022, the average EU housing cost burden—measured as the share of disposable income spent on housing—stood at 19.6%, with significantly higher rates in countries like Germany (24.5%) and Denmark (25.4%), according to Eurostat.

In response to these affordability issues, governments are adopting new strategies, including simplifying building regulations and repurposing existing structures.

Source: European Union