New housing law weakened, says opposition

The aim of the Pacte Logement is to create affordable housing in all municipalities. Article 29 of municipal law states that any time a PAP is voted, 10 percent of the development must be sold or rented at affordable rates.

A previous text had been unclear about the definitions and has thus been amended, said the Minister for Housing Henri Kox.

"The amended law states that upwards of 10 units, 10 percent need to go public authorities. In return, the developer gets the right to build 10 percent more in that area."

This will kill two birds with one stone, says the minister: more housing is built and housing density is increased. And as the residential quality is controlled in the municipalities, quality of life will not be affected.

The opposition has a dimmer view of this recent change. David Wagner from Déi Lénk bemoans that the proportion of affordable housing has decreased, e.g. from 30 to 20% in cases of 25 units or above.

"It is not binding and it doesn't go far enough, these are our main critiques. And now it has been further weakened and some of the progress made is reversed. That's a shame. [...] With the DP mainly defending the interests of the developers, you wonder what the LSAP and déi Gréng are doing in government if they aren't capable of putting a stop to this," says David Wagner.

CSV MP Marc Lies also criticizes the amendment for reducing the amount of housing going to public authorities, and for being overly complicated:

"We would have liked a leaner law and less administrative complexity. This is going to be very burdensome for municipalities to implement."

The CSV will therefore suggest a "MyLogement" structure to provide information to municipalities as well as private residents. A housing consultant who can advise municipalities is already included in the law, but the state council had requested that this role should be more clearly defined.