Hasselt

The current city administration of Hasselt, like other cities in Flanders, Belgium, focuses on addressing housing affordability and sustainability. While specific targets for affordable housing in Hasselt are not detailed in the provided sources, the broader context of Flanders' housing policies offers insight.

1. Housing Strategies: Cities in Flanders, including Hasselt, implement strategies such as 'City houses' and 'Starters houses' to provide affordable housing options. These programs offer discounted housing prices in exchange for long-term occupancy commitments. For example, buyers of 'City houses' must occupy the property for 20 years, and if they sell before this period, they must pay compensation to the city. 'Starters houses' are rental properties available for up to 9 years[1].

2. Affordable Housing Policies: Flanders has been working on increasing affordable housing stock, but recent policy changes have introduced more stringent criteria for accessing social housing, favoring long-term residents over newcomers[5].

3. Sustainability Initiatives: While not directly related to housing, Hasselt has shown commitment to sustainability through projects like 'Mobile Together Differently', which aims to reduce traffic and promote eco-friendly transportation methods[3].

These initiatives reflect Hasselt's efforts to address housing affordability and sustainability, though specific targets and more detailed programs are not provided in the available sources.

The current housing market in Hasselt, Belgium, reflects broader national trends with rising prices and a shortage of affordable options. Here is a summary of the key points:

• Housing Prices: The province of Limburg, where Hasselt is located, has seen a 38.3% increase in property prices over the past decade, with an average increase of 5.7% year-over-year in Belgium as of 2024[1][5].

• Housing Units: Specific data on the total number of housing units in Hasselt is not available in the provided sources.

• Ownership vs. Rental: In Belgium, 71.3% of the population owns their home, while 28.7% rent[5]. However, specific figures for Hasselt are not provided.

• Median Price per Sqm: The average apartment price in Belgium is €2,500 per square meter as of 2024, but specific data for Hasselt is not available[5].

• Public, Social, and Cooperative Housing: In Belgium, social housing accounts for about 6.5% of the total housing stock, providing affordable options for low-income households. Cooperative housing is less prevalent but gaining traction[5]. Specific data for Hasselt is not provided.

Given the limitations of the provided sources, detailed figures specific to Hasselt are not available. The information reflects broader national and regional trends.