Flemish Minister for Energy, Housing, Cities and Social Economy

Transcription

1 Policy Paper HOUSING Freya Van den Bossche Flemish Minister for Energy, Housing, Cities and Social Economy Design: Department of the Services for the General Government Policy, Communication Division November 2009 Flemish authorities

2 Executive summary The policy memorandum Flemish Housing Policy puts forward strategic and operational objectives for this term of office. This executive summary provides a brief overview of these objectives. The first strategic objective stipulates that the Flemish Housing Policy must promote affordable housing in Flanders. To this end, the available space is integrated in a sustainable housing policy vision. Spatial planning offers essential leverages in order to be able to pursue an active housing policy. In order to shape this, a land and buildings policy plan will be developed together with the competent Minister. This co-operation will be concretised in the form of a steering group with representatives of the ministers involved who will guide the development of the plan. The Flemish authorities will activate land and buildings by means of stimulating and sanctioning measures. Housing affordability is promoted via the continuation of the system of social loans and its harmonisation. Fiscal incentives for the promotion of purchase of properties are also adapted. It will be examined how a price reduction of houses, e.g. by reducing registration duties, both in the city and in the countryside, dependent on new criteria such as housing surface, purchase price and family composition. This should make it affordable for more people to buy their own house. 2 The modest provision of houses should provide creative solutions which promote housing affordability. On the one hand, a possible solution might be to offer modest houses for sale. On the other hand, the private rental market also offers opportunities. Tenants want flexibility and mobility. However, supply of privately owned houses for rent is smaller than demand and still includes a lot of low quality houses. In order to promote investments in privately owned houses for rent, a system of fiscal and financial incentives for landlords is set up; the aim is to guarantee fair rents. The rent subsidy system is further developed. The social housing provision is extended. The Flemish Parliament Act on the land and buildings policy is providing an extra 43,000 social houses to rent, an extra 21, 000 social houses for sale and an extra 1,000 building lots for social housing by A reinforced director s role of local authorities is advisable so that they get more levers to look for solutions together with social housing companies and other partners. A progress report will be drawn up in Social housing building procedures will be simplified: the time to complete the procedure will be shortened. In order to promote affordable social housing, the new rent regulations for social houses will be established by The provision of social housing lettings offices will be extended considerably. Affordable housing in the region will be promoted as well via specific measures from the Flemish Parliament Act on the land and buildings policy. Affordable and high-quality housing in the Vlaamse Rand around Brussels also continues to be essential for the Flemish Government. The functioning and the effectiveness of Vlabinvest and the social housing companies in the Vlaamse Rand will be optimised by means of targeted regulatory adjustments. The second strategic objective focuses on sustainable and high-quality building, renovating and living. Increased attention to spatial housing quality is encouraged. An assertive and forward looking housing policy is keeping a finger on the pulse and is focusing on attractive residential areas and forms of group housing. If more people become enthusiastic about sustainable district development, social support will be larger and probably more beautiful projects will actually be realised.

3 The policy framework for housing quality monitoring will be optimised as well via an integrated approach of stimulating and sanctioning measures. The Flemish housing quality policy, embedded in the Flemish Housing Code and the Flemish Parliament Act on rooms is based on two sanctioning pillars: the administrative procedure to declare a house unfit for human habitation and the criminal enforcement. Apart from that, there are stimulating measures to improve housing quality, such as the Flemish renovation grant and the improvement and adjustment grant. Moreover, there are several incentives for rational energy use and several others on various levels of government. The renovation subsidy will be continued, an adjustment will be provided in function of affordability, a more targeted use and a better harmonisation with other grants. As far as housing quality is concerned, focus will be more on sustainability and energy efficiency. In order to fight dilapidation, the existing sanctioning legal instruments will be further fine-tuned and a more forceful and more rapid enforcement will be made possible. In this respect, procedures are better coordinated and more attention will be paid to rehousing problems. Finally, more attention shall be paid to the renovation of existing social (rent) houses. Guaranteeing certainty about housing is a third strategic objective. The guaranteed dwelling insurance provides certainty to owners-occupants on their housing. Social tenants housing certainty is further optimised through a system of assistance to tenants. It will be examined how guaranteeing certainty on private tenants housing can be shaped. A fourth strategic objective is the promotion of fair access to affordable and qualitative housing. To this end, exclusion from the private rental market is countered, access to mortgages has improved, physical accessibility to houses has improved, access to social housing has increased and co-parenting is taken into account in social housing. The Flemish authorities will provide instruments and information to students cities in order to relieve the burden of the student population on housing and to improve access both for students and families. 3 Focus on a social and warm society is the fifth strategic objective. A housing provision tailored to every Fleming and living together in social housing estates as good neighbours are especially focused on. Co-ordination of housing, welfare and care policy are further aligned with each other. The sixth strategic objective is a more efficient and effective Flemish government. The local housing policy will be reinforced. The policy with regard to guidance, support and subsidisation of local housing policy will be continued and further extended. The medium-term objective is that every municipality has developed a supported vision on housing policy and makes maximum use of legal instruments. The city contracts concluded by thirteen major cities with the Flemish authorities give shape to a global vision on sustainable development of the city and its financial and administrative support by the Flemish government. Smaller cities and the so-called open space have specific needs too. That is why the Flemish authorities will encourage municipalities in outlying areas to co-operate with other municipalities. The performance of actors involved in housing policy will also be promoted. Local housing actors can be supported through an independent and professional review committee. A new recognition decree shall be elaborated for social housing companies. Autonomous housing actors will be monitored by the Agency Inspectie RWO (Inspectorate for Town and Country Planning, Housing Policy and Immovable Heritage). Services of tenants organisations will be extended and the activities of the Vlaams Overleg Bewonersbelangen (Flemish consultation of residents interests) will be evaluated. Partnerships between social housing actors will be encouraged.

4 Funding mechanisms and regulations of housing policy will be organised in a more transparent way. The present funding mechanisms will be examined and adapted, provided this implies an improvement. Attention is also devoted to coherent, qualitative and transparent regulations, which should result in less administrative burdens, administrative simplification and more efficiency. A customer-friendly provision of services is further developed through the implementation of the Flemish Parliament Act on e-government and through e-communication between government and citizens. The chances of success of housing policy are also stimulated through a good communication policy. Finally, an effective and convincing housing policy is based on reliable facts and insights. Policy foundation is based on the results obtained from scientific research. Scientific support does not only relate to policy preparation but also its implementation, follow-up and evaluation. The success of the Flemish housing policy also depends on the extent to which we can rely on the sound knowledge of the housing situation and needs of families and an insight into the functioning of the Flemish housing market in general. 4

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