While the ongoing housing crisis continues to leave the most vulnerable households without the security of a roof over their heads, the Brussels Housing Fund has inaugurated a new residential complex in the Matonge district in Ixelles.
The new complex will house 16 families who will be able to rent a house there, Bruzz reports. The energy-efficient houses come with an open and green courtyard in order to provide some space in the densely populated and urbanised area.
The Housing Fund
“With this project, the Housing Fund is renovating a number of outdated, dilapidated buildings and turning them into new, comfortable and energy-efficient homes,” said State Secretary for Housing Nawal Ben Hamou.
The construction project, which saw two buildings on Chaussée de Wavre in Ixelles being renovated, started five years ago and is a part of a contract aiming to boost the quality of public space and facilities in the district.
One of the buildings consists of 14 apartments with one to three bedrooms, while the other one has two duplexes with three bedrooms each.
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The 16 homes will be rented out to families in vulnerable situations, like the 1,430 other properties provided by the Housing Fund.
“The Fund wants to provide residents with a modest income with quality and affordable housing in one of the most expensive municipalities in the Region,” Ben Hamou said. The project also aims to promote social diversity.
Low-energy
The houses are also classified as low-energy, meaning they have an energy-efficient design and technical features providing high living standards and comfort with low energy consumption and carbon emissions.
These low-energy houses also have a green courtyard to provide residents with a serene space in the busy district, and all houses have an interior space with a terrace or a private garden.
Housing projects
The municipality of Ixelles has worked on several housing projects with the Housing Fund since 2011, which has so far amounted to a total of 95 in Ixelles.
“In addition to the 15 homes we recently opened in Jette, more than 30 new tenant families will join the Fund. We are proud that after five years we can give new families a roof,” says Lieve Lalemant-Scheerlinck, chairwoman of the Council of the Board of the Housing Fund.
