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Section 2 Context Context Section 2 2.18 Luxembourg 2.18.1 Policy Making and Implementation Its most recent Statement on housing policy, issued in August 1999, commits the government of Luxembourg to ‘… conducting an active housing policy in close collaboration with the communes and public developers’. Within this context, the Statement pledges that particular attention will be paid to land management and to land speculation in order to promote housing development in urban areas and to avoid the retention for speculative purposes of building land that is ready to be developed. Furthermore, the government will favour all initiatives from public developers that are geared towards creating rehabilitation zones and land reserves. With a view to creating a stock of rental housing that meets the needs of the population for the short term and the medium term, the Statement reports that the government will appreciably increase the subsidy granted to the various public developers for the creation of social rental housing. In a general way, the government will pursue State-controlled initiatives to facilitate home ownership, while keeping the different types of aid available at present and while allocating this aid more judiciously. According to the Statement, within the framework of the tax reform, personal effort in forming the initial capital to become a home owner will be encouraged more, as will investment in the acquisition, the renovation and the rehabilitation of housing for personal occupation. In the spirit of achieving sustainable development, the Statement also commits government to promoting the purchase of old dwellings for renovation and to continuing with the work that has already been started on introducing a housing report card (carnet de l’habitat). The latter scheme enables home owners to employ an appropriately trained expert to assess the quality of their dwelling from the point of view of comfort, hygiene, health, security, stability, technology, energy consumption and social aspects. The expert also recommends measures to resolve each fault or defect noted. The aim of this measure is to preserve and improve the existing heritage. In addition, the government also plans to stimulate the rehabilitation of rental housing by amending the law on leases. 2.18.2 Stock In 2001, the total number of occupied dwellings in Luxembourg was 171,953, which constitutes 391.7 per 1,000 inhabitants. This is below the average for the countries under examination. According to the 2001 census of the population, approximately 70% of households owned their dwelling and 29% were renters. In addition, the census indicates that there were 9,534 housing units for older people aged over 60 years. Data from 2002 indicate that the stock of public rented dwellings in Luxembourg stood at 2,550 units. This was distributed among a number of landlords: the housing fund (1,402 dwellings), City of Luxembourg (550 dwellings), Ville d’Esch-sur-Alzette (402 dwellings) and other public property developers (approximately 200 dwellings). This type of housing thus represented approximately 1.5% of the total housing stock in Luxembourg, or 5% of the total stock of rental housing. The 2001 census found that 87% of all households in Luxembourg live in a single-family house, and that 8% reside in apartments. In addition, according to the census, 2.33% of the housing stock, accounting for 4,015 dwellings, was vacant. This is the lowest rate of vacant dwellings amongst the countries under examination. TABLE 2.18.1 provides some additional information on the housing stock in Luxembourg. It reveals that in 2001 26.6% of dwellings were constructed before 1946. In the same year only a negligible number of dwellings lacked all basic amenities such as a bath, shower, lavatory and central heating. Table 2.18.1 Category Total Owner Non owner Not specified No. No. No. No. Dwellings by period of construction < 1946 45,094 29,921 13,644 1,529 > 1946 120,336 81,986 33,995 4,355 Not specified 3,768 1,744 1,644 380 Dwellings by type and availability of amenities No With With With bath/shower, bath/shower, bath/shower, bath/shower, no lavatory no lavatory with lavatory with lavatory, and no and no no with central heating central heating central heating central heating 2.18.3 Economy TABLE 2.18.2 includes details of some key recent economic trends in Luxembourg. It reveals that after a marked increase between 1998 and 2001, the rate of increase in GDP in the country has fallen to 1.8% in 2003 (provisional data). Since 1996 both inflation and unemployment have remained low in comparison to most of the other countries that are examined in this review. 2.18.4 Demography On 1 January 2004 the population of Luxembourg totalled 451,600 inhabitants, corresponding to a total population increase of 0.74% since 2003. As revealed in TABLE 2.18.3, the population of Luxembourg has increased significantly in recent years. During the No. No. No. No. House 17 43 634 10,220 Apartment 17 23 218 17,661 Table 2.18.2 Characteristics of the Housing Stock in Luxembourg, 2001 Economic Trends in Luxembourg, 1996-2002 period from 1994 to 2004 alone, the population increased by 50,700 inhabitants, corresponding to an increase of 4,610 persons per annum. The table also demonstrates that this trend is the result of relatively high levels of positive net migration since the mid- 1990s. However, this may be changing. In 2002, the migratory surplus was less than that in 2001. It was 2,650 units or –20%. In 2003, the migratory balance was +2,073 persons (12,613 arrivals, 10,540 departures). Natural increase is also contributing to population growth in Luxembourg, albeit at a less significant rate than net migration, but long-term trends in this regard have also displayed signs of change in recent years. In 2003, the number of live births was 5,303 compared to 5,345 in 2002. In 2003, the number of deaths was noticeably greater than that registered in 2002 (4,053 compared to 3,744). This represents an increase of 8.2%. It is also interesting to Category 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 % % % % % % % % Change in GDP 3.3 8.3 6.9 7.8 9.1 1.2 1.2 1.8 (prov.) Change in the harmonised index of consumer prices 1.2 1.4 1.0 1.0 3.4 2.4 Nav Nav Unemployed persons as a % of the labour force 2.9 2.7 2.7 2.4 2.3 2.1 Nav Nav 58 European Union Report Regular National Report on Housing Developments in European Countries 59
Section 2 Context Context Section 2 Table 2.18.3 Demographic Trends in Luxembourg, 1980-2004 2.19 Malta Table 2.19.1 Characteristics of the Housing Stock in Malta, 1995 and 2000 Population on Natural Migratory Total growth 1 January (R) balance balance (R) % Year No. No. No. No. Variation 1980 363,500 N/a N/a N/a N/a 2.19.1 Policy Making and Implementation Category % Dwellings by tenure (2000) Rented 22.4 Owner-occupied 74.1 1985 366,200 + 708 + 1,992 + 2,700 + 0.74 Occupied free of charge 3.5 1989 375,800 + 2,086 + 7,514 + 9,600 + 2.62 1990 379,300 + 681 + 2,857 + 3,500 + 0.93 1991 384,400 + 1,163 + 3,942 + 5,100 + 1.35 1992 389,800 + 1,241 + 4,173 + 5,400 + 1.40 1993 395,200 + 1,128 + 4,255 + 5,400 + 1.38 The key objectives of housing policy in Malta are as follows: ■ encouraging home-ownership; ■ providing decent housing for all and in particular to Dwellings by period of construction (1995) < 1945 25.5 1945-1960 11.1 1961-1970 11.1 1971-1980 18.3 1981-1990 24.8 1994 400,900 + 1,438 + 4,243 + 5,700 + 1.44 families with children; > 1991 9.1 1995 406,600 + 1,651 + 4,004 + 5,700 + 1.42 1996 412,800 + 1,624 + 4,610 + 6,200 + 1.52 1997 418,300 + 1,828 + 3,672 + 5,500 + 1.33 1998 423,700 + 1,566 + 3,832 + 5,400 + 1.29 ■ subsidising adaptation and repair works to government and privately owned dwellings; ■ providing subsidised rented accommodation for Dwellings by number of rooms (1995) 1 0.3 2 2.7 3 7.6 4 16.7 1999 429,200 + 1,485 + 4,056 + 5,500 + 1.30 low-income and target groups; 5 + 72.8 2000 435,700 + 1,789 +4,719 + 6,300 + 1.50 2001 439,000 + 1,969 + 3,644 + 3,300 + 0.75 2002 444,050 + 1,740 + 3,311 + 5,050 + 1.15 2003 448,300 + 1,601 + 2,650 + 4,250 + 0.96 ■ developing further the affordable housing building programme; ■ stimulating further the rental market and the Dwellings by availability of utilities (1995) Central heating* 0.7 Electric heater* 47.6 Gas heater* 21.0 Paraffin heater* 19. 8 2004 451,600 N/a N/a + 3,300 + 0.74 effective use of vacant housing stock currently untapped for rental purposes; Bathroom 96.6 Lavatory which empties into a mains sewer 97.7 note that trends are more acute amongst the section of the population with Luxembourg nationality than among non-nationals. Among the former group, births decreased by 6.3% in 2003 while among the latter they increased by 4.8%. In the same year the increase in deaths was confined to those with citizenship, and the number of deaths in the non-national population remained more or less stable. In 2001, there were 171,647 households in Luxembourg – an increase of 19.5% compared to 1991. Average household size varies geographically. In the city of Luxembourg in 2001 household size averaged at 2.13 persons, as opposed to 2.51 for towns such as Grevenmacher or Ettelbrück/Diekirch, and 2.75 for towns such as Wiltz, Steinfort or Redange. ■ increasing the accessibility of residential premises by installing lifts; ■ providing small-scale sheltered housing for the target groups, and ■ encouraging collaboration with private and nongovernmental enterprises (housing and financial institutions) in accessing cheaper land for housing and improving the maintenance of the social Note: approach to land development, which largely focuses on social housing development within existing urban areas rather than green-field sites. 2.19.2 Stock * Households may use more than 1 method of heating; therefore the sum of these figures is greater than 100. In 1995, the total number of dwellings in Malta stood housing stock. at 155,202, or 420 dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants, which is above average in European terms. As revealed The Ministry for Family and Social Solidarity and the in TABLE 2.19.1, in 2000, 74.1% of the housing stock Housing Authority are responsible for policy-making was owner-occupied and a further 3.5% was occupied in Malta. The Housing Authority, which was free of charge, while the remaining 22.4% was rented, established in 1976, is responsible for improving the from private or social landlords. Social housing in housing condition of very low-income groups and Malta is provided by the Lands Department, Joint promoting home ownership. It achieves the former Office or the Housing Authority. In addition, some objective by providing dwellings which are rented at social housing belongs to private landlords whose less than the market rent level to social housing properties have been requisitioned and rented at a applicants. The Housing Authority also plays a key regulated rent regime. These properties are managed role in implementing housing policy, as does the by the Social Housing Department. Rent control for Planning Authority. The latter agency was established private rented housing in Malta was introduced in in 1992 and is charged with promoting an integrated 1949, when the Housing Act of that year froze rents at 60 European Union Report Regular National Report on Housing Developments in European Countries 61
Page 1 and 2: REGULAR NATIONAL REPORT ON SYNTHESI
Page 3 and 4: Regular National Report on Housing
Page 5 and 6: Table of Contents Table of Contents
Page 7 and 8: Definition of Terms New Member Stat
Page 9 and 10: Section 1 Introduction and Summary
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Section 4 Outcomes Outcomes Section
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Appendix 1 Members of European Hous
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Appendix 2 Questionnaire 4.4 Housin
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