Dekens and Dardenne are both looking to private investors and construction companies to tackle the Brussels housing crisis.
But the private sector is discouraged, Dardenne knows, “both fiscally and administratively.” Dekens also believes that it is better for Brussels residents to be able to buy and renovate a house themselves, “But too many rules and administrative pressure are making that increasingly difficult today.”
Dardenne finds it “abnormal” that two-thirds of Brussels residents rent and that owning their own home has gradually become too expensive. “This causes a real urban exodus and Brussels loses tax revenue as a result. Flanders and Wallonia are much more attractive to buy a house.” Yet he does not think it is the government’s core task to build.
One central regional housing company
Dekens also sees the Brussels regulitis as an obstacle to keeping people in Brussels. She mentions, among other things, the renovation obligation. “It costs people money while the government itself does not set a good example.” That is why she is also opposed to rental price regulation. “That will only increase rents,” she believes.
With 50,000 people on the waiting list, there is also a crisis on the social (or “public”) market. Dekens points out that half of the Brussels population is theoretically entitled to social housing and wants to start by reconsidering the income threshold.
“We must certainly also address the lack of efficiency of the Brussels administrations.” Dekens wants to merge the 16 rental companies and 24 rental offices into one central regional housing company. “The money is now too tied up with those administrations. And also tackle fraud, such as in Flanders, for people who have foreign property.”
Kangaroo living and coliving
Dardenne is particularly bothered by the application that social tenants have to renew annually. “I’m more in favor of the carrot than the stick.”
He advocates other ways of living, such as kangaroo living and coliving, in which several small families share a large mansion. Dekens, in turn, sees merit in converting abandoned office buildings.
