The minister for housing and spatial planning, who is also the minister for national education, children and youth, (DP), has launched a call for projects to create more housing specially reserved for young people (Jugenwunnen). This initiative complements the government’s efforts to provide more affordable housing and to support the most financially vulnerable groups, including young people.

Taking advantage of existing schemes

This new support is designed to encourage developers and social landlords to invest in the construction, acquisition or renovation/conversion of existing properties to create affordable housing. This is being done through the existing “Aide à la pierre” scheme, which is a financial contribution from the state of up to 75% of the funding that social housing developers can apply for. This call is therefore aimed at local authorities, social offices, foundations, non-profit associations and societal impact companies (SIS) that are eligible to apply for this “Aide à la Pierre.” They will have to build homes that meet the specifications for affordable housing and offer them for rent at an affordable rent, adjusted according to the occupant’s income. These homes are then managed by a social landlord. “This scheme is attractive because, by taking advantage of existing mechanisms, it ensures a guaranteed return,” explained Meisch.

Housing that can be supported

In addition to the “Aide à la pierre” scheme, the state also offers to contribute financially, through the ministry of education, children and youth, to the provision of socio-educational support if this is required. The intensity of this support may vary according to need.

At present, there are 244 housing units of this type across the country, to which must be added the housing assistance schemes run by the children and family aid department, including, in particular, supervised housing in an open environment, which is housing coupled with close socio-educational support. 518 places are available under this scheme, including 43 specially reserved for young mothers with babies.

The aim is to significantly increase the number of places available by continuing the work already done in Luxembourg and supplementing it with international experience, such as that of the Jugendwohnnetz in Zurich, which was presented at a conference held in Neimënster on 12 February.

Who is eligible?

These homes will be reserved for 18-26 year-olds who wish to leave their families and who already have a degree of personal and financial autonomy (with an income that meets the criteria for affordable housing), but who are unable to find accommodation in the private housing stock or to access conventional affordable housing. This offer is therefore aimed at young people at the start of their professional careers, those in training and students. The scheme could be extended to young people up to the age of 28, and once they are in the home they can stay there until they are 32.

An initial assessment will be carried out in June to see whether the project is a success and whether it needs to be adjusted. But this intermediate stage will not prevent projects from being submitted at a later date.

This article was originally published in .