Leuven

The city administration of Leuven addresses the topic of housing with a focus on affordability and sustainability. Key targets include increasing the supply of affordable housing units and ensuring that new developments meet specific affordability criteria.

Concrete activities and programs include:

1. Partnership Agreements: The city grants building permits for new student housing projects only if there is a partnership agreement with KU Leuven, ensuring a certain proportion of rooms are reserved for international students and meet affordability standards.

2. City Houses and Starters Houses: The city offers discounted housing options for individuals who cannot afford market prices but do not qualify for social housing. These include "City Houses" sold at a discount with a 20-year occupancy requirement and "Starters Houses" that are rental properties with a savings component for future home purchases.

3. Community Land Trust (CLT): Leuven is exploring the establishment of a CLT to keep land costs out of the housing market, thereby reducing housing prices.

4. In-Field Tests: The city conducts in-field tests to detect discrimination in the housing market, although these tests are not specifically targeted at international students.

These initiatives aim to address the housing affordability crisis and ensure that housing is accessible to a broader range of residents.

The housing market in Leuven, Belgium, is experiencing a slowdown due to rising interest rates and decreasing demand. Here is a summary of the current situation:

• Market Trends: The overall house price index in Belgium rose by 1.15% in Q3 2023 compared to the previous year, but when adjusted for inflation, prices dropped by 2.26%.
• Leuven Specifics: The average price per square meter for all types of real estate in Leuven is €3,622. For apartments, the price ranges from €2,948 to €6,234 per square meter, while houses have a lower average price of €3,196 per square meter.
• Housing Units: Leuven has a total of 49,998 households as of 2020, with 53.60% living in apartments, 26.90% in terraced houses, 11.20% in semi-detached houses, and 8.40% in detached houses.
• Rental vs. Ownership: Specific figures on rental vs. ownership are not provided in the sources, but it is noted that gross rental yields in Leuven range from 3.48% to 4.23%, with a city average of 3.72%.
• Public, Social, and Cooperative Housing: The sources do not provide detailed information on the roles and shares of public, social, and cooperative housing in Leuven.
• Median Price per sqm: The median price per square meter to buy an apartment in Leuven is approximately €3,452, while specific rental prices per square meter are not provided in the sources.