(L-R) Yuriko Backes, Minister of Finance; Henri Kox, Minister of Housing; Taina Bofferding, Minister for Home Affairs; Credit: MINT

From Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 October 2022, the National Housing Week was organised at Luxepo The Box, during which Luxembourg's Ministry of Housing has announced two housing reforms, in addition to several workshops and conferences.

The National Housing Week was an opportunity to bring together general public, institutions, administrations, public and private developers and financial institutes.

On Thursday 6 October 2022, Luxembourg's Minister of Housing, Henri Kox, presented the reform of the rental lease, which consists in giving better transparency to the private rental market and more protection to the tenant. The key element of this reform is the complete revision of the rent ceiling mechanism, to fight effectively against usurious rents.

On Friday 7 October 2022, Minister for Home Affairs, Taina Bofferding, Minister of Finance, Yuriko Backes and Minister Kox presented together the tax package for housing mobilisation. Namely, the IFON (impôt foncier) property tax bills, the IMOB (impôt à la mobilisation de terrains) land mobilisation tax bill and the INOL (impôt national sur la non-occupation de logements) non-occupancy housing tax bill, as well as the bill on the national register of buildings and RNBL (registre national des bâtiments et des logements) housing.

During the four day event, several workshops and conferences including researchers and experts from the various planning and construction trades participated in discussions of the reforms in progress and their application. Thus, several thematic workshops were held:

  • Workshop on the application of Article 29bis of the amended law of 19 July 2004 concerning municipal planning and urban development. This new article is a key element for the automatic creation of affordable housing in new housing projects. In return, developers are granted a higher building density.
  • Seminar for housing advisers. During this meeting, the housing advisers who assist the municipalities in the development and implementation of their housing strategy were informed about the next stages of the housing pact.
  • Conference "Soil, construction and basic needs" by the architect Philippe Nathan, who pleaded in terms of housing and land use for a change in collective consciousness in order to respond to the climate emergency.
  • Round table “Synergies between the Climate Pact, Nature Pact and Housing Pact”, with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, Joëlle Welfring, Minister for Spatial Planning, Claude Turmes, Minister Kox and the president of Syvicol, Emile Eicher, moderated by Fenn Faber from Klima-Agence.

“The National Housing Week remains an unmissable event to inform citizens. On the one hand, on the aid from which individuals can benefit, and on the other, to advance the important files in progress with a view to the right to housing for all”, noted Minister Kox.

The next edition of the National Housing Week will be held from 5 to 8 October 2023.