The main focus in the debate was the role of municipal authorities in regards to housing costs. The Green party accused some municipalities of selling land at high prices on the private market, in turn driving up prices. MP Henri Cox, who initiated the debate, said he had been reading increasing reports of land sold on the private market.
Cox cited both newspapers and municipal publications, elaborating that municipalities are selling land - sometimes with houses attached - to private owners rather than creating social housing.
The minister in charge of municipalities, Minister for Home Affairs Taina Bofferding, reiterated that municipalities should and cannot have the objective of turning a profit. She affirmed that the ministry would monitor the issue, and would not approve any more deeds of sale if they were occurring on the private market.
Different MPs expressed differing views on the issue: MP Dan Biancalana, for example, proposed encouraging municipalities to build social housing themselves, a view shared by most parties. Biancalana highlighted that municipal authorities need additional support in that regard.
In response to Biancalana's point, Minister for Housing Sam Tanson said that municipalities can receive up to 75% in subsidies if they build social housing. The minister also conceded that this figure could be adapted and reminded MPs that the parliamentary commission on housing is in the process of examining the issue.
Opposition MPs from the CSV and the ADR referred back to Bofferding's assertions, reiterating the autonomy of municipalities and claiming the minister has no legal basis to refuse such sales. In general, the CSV's Marc Lies highlighted that there should be no witch hunt of specific municipalities. He also pointed out that the autonomy of municipalities is continuously being curbed, with restrictions increasingly being put in place by the Ministry of the Environment.
As the debate drew to a close, Tanson assured Lies that the new housing pact would include assurances for municipalities.
