Having laid the foundations of the Walloon Housing Agency, the Walloon Government is taking a new step forward. The reorganisation of local operators within the “Local Housing Hubs” has been launched, with the aim of a more efficient regional policy that rises to the challenges. But also clearer for citizens.
The housing landscape in Wallonia is currently highly fragmented. Between the Public Housing Companies (SLSP), the Social Real Estate Agencies (AIS), energy help desks, municipalities, CPAS, Housing Promotion Associations (APL), local renovation platforms, social credit help desks… citizens quickly get lost in this administrative maze, or simply don't know who does what within these local structures. This undermines service quality as well as the optimal use of resources.
Realistic living areas, scientifically defined
To address this, the Government proposes defining Local Housing Hubs (PLL), within which local actors will be encouraged to voluntarily group together/merge to become the main operational relays of the future Walloon Housing Agency, a single entity set to take over the current tasks of the regional operators (SWL, SWCS, FLW and part of SPW TLPE), with the aim of a more efficient regional policy that rises to the challenges.
A geographical division, established using a rigorous scientific method, has led to a proposal to structure Wallonia into a set of hubs that constitute living areas. A “living area”, as envisaged by the Centre d'Études en Habitat Durable (CEHD), is a coherent and largely self-contained geographical zone (residents do not leave it to work or study), defined by preferences expressed by citizens.
This structuring proposal will be shared and discussed with all local actors.
Synergies between local actors
Starting from the regional objectives of housing policy and the financial resources allocated to them, each hub will be assigned specific objectives at its own level, based on the needs of its citizens. Local operators within the hub will be encouraged to work closely together to operationally meet these specific objectives.
Financial resources will thus be allocated annually to the hubs through a “drawing right” mechanism, enabling them to meet the set objectives. This will give operators predictability in terms of investment and a degree of freedom regarding how to achieve the objectives set by the Region. The drawing right, as well as the resources dedicated to operations, will be designed to encourage local actors to work together.
In addition, management standards for local operators will be established. These will be monitored, controlled and enforced by the Housing Agency to ensure that regional objectives are properly applied across the entire territory.
Cécile Neven, Minister for Housing: “With the establishment of local hubs, we propose to redesign the housing landscape in Wallonia. We start from residents' real needs, not administrative boundaries. For citizens, it will be simpler, clearer and more accessible. For public authorities, it will be more efficient: we fund results, not isolated structures. Everyone must take responsibility to provide more and better-quality housing. ”