This Thursday, Cécile Neven, Walloon Minister for Climate, Airports, Energy and Housing, spoke bluntly about the serious dysfunctions revealed at La Sambrienne, a public housing company. A clear message: inaction and mismanagement are no longer acceptable when it comes to the fundamental right to housing.
Between 2020 and 2025, €87 million was available to renovate housing under a major Walloon plan. Yet more than half of this budget went unused, leaving more than 1,000 homes unrenovated. This finding is all the more shocking given that the deadlines were not binding: it was not even a matter of completing or starting the work, but simply of awarding the public contracts.
Faced with this situation, the minister refuses any complacency. Where some are content with administrative justifications, Cécile Neven firmly opts for an approach of accountability and results. “I have requested an audit to clearly establish everyone's responsibilities,” she stated. The objective is clear: to understand, decide and act.
And the tone is hardening. If the audit's findings confirm serious shortcomings, the minister rules nothing out. “If necessary, I will not hesitate to bring out the bazooka, that is, to send a special commissioner on site,” she warns. A firm stance reflecting a clear political will: to restore order where dysfunctions directly harm the most vulnerable citizens.
For Cécile Neven, the stakes go beyond a purely administrative matter. It is about political credibility, good governance and honouring commitments made to the people of Wallonia. Public housing cannot be held hostage by delays, mistakes or negligence.
The message is unambiguous: the resources exist and must be used. And when they are not, the public authority has a duty to step in firmly. The minister stands by this: accountability is not an option, it is a requirement.