Hemiksem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Lelielaan social housing tenants in Hemiksem can access a solution for their situation. The apartments received a notice of uninhabitability several months back when water damage affected the walls, along with other issues.
Two families that lived in the Woonkade social housing units on Lelielaan will soon receive newly secured permanent housing after the buildings were made uninhabitable due to water damage and electrical safety issues months ago.
The housing transition for affected tenants starts in the upcoming week, and the housing placement will occur exclusively within the Hemiksem and Schelle territories.
Woonkade emphasised that the solution ensures residents “only have to move once,” avoiding temporary displacement. The authorities have resolved the water damage problem, but fast drying of the walls cannot proceed because people still live in the units.
Water seepage through walls and electrical systems has caused authorities to declare the Lelielaan social housing complex uninhabitable. Vooruit Party presented its argument against the situation at a recent municipal council meeting by calling it “hallucinatory” due to both electric hazards and fire risks.
The resident witnessed water running through electrical cables in her walls, raising concerns about dangerous scenarios. The initial repair work did not solve the water problem because extensive drying procedures are vital.
The drying process using industrial dryers to shorten the timeframe would be too dangerous for building residents, so Woonkade decided that tenants must relocate during the protocol.
“This can be accelerated considerably by using a construction dryer, but this is not advisable if the families involved still live in the apartments.”
Woonkade has therefore worked with the municipality to find other suitable homes for 2 families in Hemiksem and Schelle.
“Since these homes are ready to move in, both families can move in next week. In consultation with the municipality, it was explicitly decided to immediately assign these tenants a permanent home, so that they only have to move once,” says Woonkade.
What regulatory and regional context underlies Hemiksem’s social housing relocation decision?
Hemiksem, as a Belgian municipality, abides by the Flemish Housing Code, which applies rules for both rental safety and habitability, along with health standards.
When rental properties do not meet the requirements set by the code, they can be declared unfit for living, resulting in rent repayment obligations and mandatory repairs from tenants or lease cancellation.
Inspection points based on the penalty system demonstrate how moisture infiltration (Category III: 9 points) and fire hazards (Category IV: 15 points) most likely caused the unlivable status of Lelielaan apartments.
The municipality of Hemiksem joins 14 other Flemish towns by establishing strict compliance by making landlords obtain Conformity Certificates. These certificates must be valid for 10 years (or five years in some cases).
The Belgian law requires Woonkade and other social housing providers to uphold fast responses to reported violations. Non-compliance will trigger criminal penalties, together with the risk of losing rental revenue. The allocation priority for social housing in the Flemish region in 2023 targets household incomes at or below €47,699 per month for singles or €52,671 for multi-person households.
As part of its overall housing policy framework, which focuses on tenant protection, Belgium trusts that protocols for relocation and demolition need to accomplish both swift intervention and a stable living environment for residents, just like Woonkade ensures permanent rehousing for affected tenants. The social housing deficit in Flanders continues to grow because over 1.33 million households stand on waiting lists in England for 2024, which matches the housing demand in Belgian urban centres.
The Flemish government implemented tougher housing corporation regulations through its 2021 reforms because officials wanted rapid solutions for uninhabitable units. Woonkade’s response to the Lelielaan crisis became more rapid under the increased regulatory pressure since this allowed them to meet requirements and protect their tenants.
Tenants who moved from Hemiksem benefited from EU-wide rights granted to all tenants for livable housing and protections against arbitrary removal.
Municipalities operating under the Flemish Housing Code should continue with local enforcement because Hemiksem, alongside other towns, face challenges from outdated buildings combined with weather-related water damage.
