The documents are concerned with the creation and distribution of affordable public housing.
Minister Kox presented the central aims of the bills last week, although the documents are only expected to be up for vote at the beginning of next year. The politician expressed confidence that both bills will significantly improve the situation.
MP Nathalie Oberweis from the Left Party commented on the high goals set by Kox: “We are seeing these ambitious goals over and over again. The minister stated that 10 to 15% should go to the public, but we are still far away from reaching this rate.”
Max Leners from the social democratic Robert Krieps Foundation arrived at a similar conclusion, also underlining that there are not enough construction projects: “The announcement concerns the internal financing of projects rather than a solution for the housing crisis.” Speculative purchases have to be fought more consistently, Leners further underlined.
Guy Entringer, director of the National Society for Fair Market Housing (SNHBM), welcomes the government announcement: “It is constructive to reorganise all the concerned people into a single list instead of having us, Caritas, or the Housing Fund all look after the same ones. We are also happy that the rent system will be modernised.”
MP Marc Lies (CSV) expressed more scepticism about the draft bills. He underlined that the way they are set up now, it will be impossible to reach the ambitious goals. He further believes that the plan will eventually backfire: “Municipalities need bigger incentives and more control when it comes to allocating, renting, or selling apartments.”
