Flanders to Reserve Homes for Local Residents in Expensive Municipalities

In Flanders, where property prices in certain municipalities are soaring, a new measure will allow local authorities to reserve land and homes for people with strong ties to the community. This initiative is primarily aimed at preventing residents who have grown up in a municipality from being forced to leave due to the inability to afford housing.

According to Ben Weyts, the Minister for the Flemish Region, and Matthias Diependaele, the Regional Minister for Housing, this policy will mainly apply to the most expensive Flemish municipalities, particularly those in the Brussels periphery and some larger cities. The goal of this initiative is to improve local residents' access to housing, ensuring they are not pushed out by rising property prices in their own neighborhoods.

Conditions for Priority Access

To qualify for reserved land or housing, prospective buyers must meet three key requirements:

1. They must have lived in the municipality or a nearby Flemish municipality for at least five consecutive years within the past 10 years.
2. They must not already own any real estate.
3. Their income must be below a yet-to-be-established maximum threshold.

These conditions ensure that the program benefits those who have deep-rooted ties to the municipality and might otherwise struggle to afford a home in the area.

Financial Support and Obligations

Municipalities that adopt this policy will be able to provide significant financial assistance toward the cost of land, ranging from 50% to 100%. This support will make it more affordable for local residents to purchase a home in their own community under more favorable conditions than what is typically available in the open market.

However, there is a key obligation: buyers who benefit from this program must reside in the home for at least 20 years. If they decide to sell the property, they must repay the financial assistance provided by the municipality. Additionally, municipalities will have a right of first refusal, meaning they can purchase the property before it is sold to anyone else.

The Purpose of the Measure

This policy is a response to the high property prices in certain Flemish municipalities, which are often out of reach for local residents. The initiative aims to ensure that local people, particularly younger generations, are not forced to leave their communities because they cannot afford to buy a home there. The policy is focused on maintaining community integrity and preventing gentrification, where wealthier buyers push out local residents by purchasing properties in the area.

By reserving homes for local residents, the measure seeks to close the gap between supply and demand in expensive municipalities, improving livability for those who have strong ties to the area. This initiative represents an important step towards creating a more affordable housing market in Flanders and could serve as a model for other regions facing similar housing challenges.