Flemish government’s social housing policy was criticised on Wednesday by Koldo Casla, the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing.
In his letter to the government, he refers, amongst other things, to the tightening of eligibility criteria.
Earlier this year, the Flemish government introduced new rules for people seeking social housing. From 1 January 2028, people on the waiting list will also be required to register with the VDAB if they are unemployed. Currently, this measure applies only to existing tenants.
Additionally, the language requirement is being raised from A2 to B1 oral proficiency, a decision highlighted by the UN rapporteur.
“Whilst I respect the commitment of the Flemish authorities to the protection and promotion of the local and national language, this policy, when applied in the context of state aid for housing, may in practice lead to social exclusion and geographical segregation,” he writes.
The rapporteur also points out that the majority of social housing is allocated to applicants who have lived in the municipality for at least five years. He warns that this policy could be detrimental to people living in poverty, including the homeless.
“States are bound by UN conventions to ensure that the right to housing and other economic, social and cultural rights are exercised without discrimination,” says Casla.
He therefore calls on Flanders to apply the right to housing without discrimination, “for all migrants, regardless of their nationality and their administrative or documentation status, in accordance with international human rights and international refugee law”.
The letter has not yet reached the office of the Flemish Housing Minister Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit).
