Sakina (19 years old) has been waiting 7 years to obtain social housing: “It brought tears to my eyes.”

Who can apply for social housing?

Candidates who are (in principle) at least 18 years old, registered in the population register or foreigners and who meet the conditions can register for social housing. In some cases, youth under the age of 18 are also eligible.

The list of conditions is longIt also became longer. There is an income cap, you are not allowed to own property either at home or abroad and people without work must be registered with the VDAB.

In addition, housing companies have also been required to verify the accounts of potential tenants since January this year. Anyone with too much in their account is no longer eligible. If your account statements show that you have saved an amount equal to what you could earn annually to qualify for social housing, you will be rejected.

In principle, there is a rapid allocation of potential tenants with special needs. This includes people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, young people who (want) to live independently or candidates with mental health issues. But people from this group often have to wait for years.