housing developments in european countries - Department of ...

Section 2
Context
Context Section 2
Table
2.3.1
Characteristics of the Housing Stock
in Belgium, 2001
Category %
Dwellings by tenure Owner-occupied 68
Private rented 25
Social rented 7
Owner-occupied dwellings Brussels-Capital Region 41.3
by region Flanders Region 72.6
Walloon Region 68.1
Social rented dwellings Brussels-Capital Region 14.3
by region Flanders Region 48.2
Walloon Region 37.5
Dwellings requiring repair Eaves and gutters 22.8
by category of repair Electrical facilities 17.0
required Inner walls 18.2
Outer walls 21.0
Roof 20.1
Windows 22.7
■ minimum sanitation criteria within the region;
■ criteria for granting and calculating the level of aid
and subsidies for housing, and
■ the structure and function of regional consultative
councils in terms of housing.
Broadly speaking, the following agencies are
responsible for housing policy implementation in
each of the three regions:
■ the Brussels, Flemish and Walloon Housing
Associations – established in order to campaign for
the right to housing and to propose concrete
measures intended to ensure that this right is
realised; some associations also provide housing
services such as tenants’ unions and programmes
that work to achieve social integration through
housing;
■ the public service housing associations – these
organisations, of which there are over 200 in
Belgium, own and manage the social housing stock
and work in a defined geographical area – either in
a commune, in several communes or on a regional
basis; their legal status varies from co-operative
societies and limited companies to tenants’
co-operatives. Apart from the latter (which are in a
minority) the public sector is the majority
shareholder; the housing associations are approved
and supervised by the Brussels, Flemish or Walloon
regional housing society, and their funding (which
consists mainly of grants from regional government)
is also channelled through this structure;
■ housing funds (Brussels, Flemish and Walloon) and
the social credit housing associations (under
specified conditions) – these offer reduced interest
mortgage loans to enable low-income households
purchase a dwelling or improve their dwelling; in
Wallonia, the Walloon Social Credit Association
co-ordinates the activity of associations that issue
low-interest loans;
■ local powers, including the communes and the
Public Social Aid Centres – the latter provide social
aid, including social guidance, material aid, etc. to
individuals and families entitled to such aid from
local government, and
■ agencies with a social aim – social property agencies,
social district boards, associations for promoting
housing, etc.; these bodies enable various target
groups (including very low-income households,
disabled, large immigrant families, drug addicts,
young single mothers, etc.) to access private rented
accommodation at an affordable price and also
provide necessary social support.
2.3.2 Stock
In 2001, the total stock of dwellings in Belgium stood
at 4,095,008 or 400 dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants.
As is outlined in TABLE 2.3.1, at national level 68% of
this stock was owner-occupied, 25% was private rented
and 7% was social rented. The level of home ownership
in Belgium increased by 12% between 1991 and 2001
and is now close to the average for the 28 countries
that are the focus of this report. However, tenure
patterns vary significantly between the three regions of
Belgium. Home ownership rates are lower in the
Brussels-Capital Region and also in the larger cities in
the other regions.
The quality of the Belgian housing stock has generally
improved over the 20 years to 2001, although some
parts of the private and social rented stock have not
benefited from this general trend. The latter problem is
being addressed by means of renewal and refurbishment
programmes. According to the 2001 census, 80% of
Table
2.3.2
Category
Economic Trends in Belgium, 1998-2003
2.3.3 Economy
Year
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
% % % % % %
Increase in GDP Nav Nav 3.7 0.8 0.7 1.4
fallen to 1.4%. At the same time the
rate of inflation has also decreased,
from 2.5% in 2000 to 1.6% in
2002, as has unemployment.
2.3.4 Demography
Average annual inflation 1 1.1 2.5 2.5 1.6 Nav
TABLE 2.3.3 reveals that in 2003 the
Unemployment 9.3 8.6 6.9 6.7 7.3 7.7
population of Belgium stood at
10,372,469 persons. Within the
households were satisfied with the condition of their
county, this population was distributed as follows:
homes, but at the same time, as TABLE 2.3.1 reveals,
■ 9.4% of inhabitants lived in the Brussels-Capital
some 20% of households claimed that their
Region (BCR);
accommodation required repair. The proportion of
properties in the latter category also varies regionally –
■ 58.0% of inhabitants lived in the Flanders Region,
it is significantly higher in large cities, in particular in
and
Brussels and in the Walloon cities.
■ 32.6% of inhabitants lived in the Wallonia Region.
Reliable national data on the numbers of vacant
Belgium is a highly urbanised country and
dwellings are currently not available. However, the
consequently its population density is comparatively
regional governments are putting in place
high at 340 inhabitants per km 2 . The density of
arrangements to address this shortcoming in the parts
population varies between different parts of the
of the country where vacancy levels are of concern.
country, however, from 199 inhabitants per km 2 in
The available evidence indicates that levels of vacant
Wallonia, to 439 inhabitants per km 2 in the Flanders
dwellings vary between different localities depending
region, rising to a high of 5,820 inhabitants per km 2 in
on: the ratio between owner-occupation and rented
the Brussels Capital region. In recent years the
housing, the age of the housing stock and the
populations of the centres of large cities, particularly
buoyancy of the local housing market. Vacancy rates
Brussels, have fallen while their peripheries have
are generally higher in city centre locations.
sprawled, but this trend appears to be moderating.
Since 1981 the rate of population growth in Belgium
TABLE 2.3.2 reveals that the rate of increase in GDP in
Belgium has slowed in recent years. GDP grew by
3.7% in 2000, but by 2003 the rate of growth had
has been low and the population growth that has
occurred is the result of immigration rather than
natural increase. During 2002 positive net immigration
contributed 31,192 persons (or 0.31%) to the
Table
2.3.3 Demographic Trends in Belgium, 1981-2003
national population, whereas excess of births
Year Inhabitants Households
over deaths contributed just 5,583 persons, or
No. Rate Rate Average
0.05%. At the same time, however, the number
of increase of increase household of households in Belgium has risen
(base 1980=100) No. (base 1980=100) size dramatically over the period 1981 to 2003 as a
1981 9,848,000 100 3,608,000 100 2.70 result of falling household size. Average
1991 9,979,000 101 3,953,000 109 2.49 household size in Belgium fell from 2.70 to
2000 10,239,000 104 4,209,000 117 2.39 2.34 persons in the 20-year period to 2001.
2001 10,263,000 104 4,238,000 117 2.38
2002 10,300,000 104 4,319,000 119 2.35
2003 10,372,000 105 4,361,000 121 2.34
22 European Union Report
Regular National Report on Housing Developments in European Countries
23