Grand Duke, Housing Minister Visit Elmen Affordable Housing Site

On Thursday 17 June 2021, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke and Luxembourg's Minister of Housing, Henri Kox, visited the construction site of the new Elmen district located in Olm, where between 800 and 850 affordable housing units will be created over 27 hectares in the coming years.

The project is being carried out by the public promoter Société nationale des habitations à bon marché (SNHBM) in collaboration with the municipality of Kehlen.

Also present during this visit were the Mayor of the municipality of Kehlen, Félix Eischen, the President of the SNHBM, Annick Rock, and the Director of the SNHBM, Guy Entringer.

Due to its size and sustainable urban planning, Elmen is a flagship project in affordable public housing. It is also the first large-scale project co-financed by the Ministry of Housing and subject to a financing law. Currently, sixteen residences with a total of 116 apartments and 46 single-family homes are under construction. The dwellings are intended for affordable rental or long-term sale.

“This government is investing heavily in affordable public housing, it is a collective national priority. In our efforts to realize the right to housing, the creation of public rental housing is privileged. In the Elmen project, we took into consideration the demand of young families wishing to access property. A large part of the housing in Elmen is therefore intended for sale. The land is sold by emphyteusis and the housing is sold with a right of repurchase for the benefit of SNHBM”, explained Housing Minister Henri Kox. He also noted the good collaboration between Kehlen and the SNHBM, as a model of cooperation between a municipality and a public developer for the creation of affordable housing.

Guy Entringer added: “Elmen is more than just a construction project. This is a new urban concept, a pioneer in Luxembourg, making it possible to create affordable housing while promoting quality of life, soft mobility and innovation". Green spaces, soil and water management, an integrated mobility concept, as well as the use of sustainable building materials are key elements at Elmen.

In his speech, the Mayor Félix Eischen highlighted the importance of this project for the future of the countryside: “With the Elmen project, Kehlen allows a large part of its younger generation to stay in their municipality. Young people are the future of our villages, they will participate in a good social mix of the project".