Credit: MSI / Police Grand-Ducale
Works on the the Gravity municipal real estate project in Differdange in south-western Luxembourg are scheduled to start in September.
On Monday, Luxembourg's Minister of Housing and for Internal Security, Henri Kox, met with municipal officials and representatives of the Grand Ducal Police in Differdange to discuss public safety issues and housing.
The first part of the visit focussed on subjects relating to security and public order. The meeting began with a visit to the city centre to allow Minister Henri Kox to familiarise himself with the needs of the inhabitants of Differdange and the specificities of this hotspot located in a region with more of 75,000 inhabitants, near the borders with France and Belgium.
Minister Henri Kox took note of the concerns of municipal officials and, regarding the strengthening of the police force, he discussed the national police recruitment plan which foresees the recruitment of more than 600 police officers and 240 civilians by 2023. The minister also visited the location of the future police station, which is scheduled to open in spring 2023.
This visit was also an opportunity to address the issue of affordable housing. With its 27,400 inhabitants, Differdange is the third most populous municipality in the country. The Gravity municipal real estate project is one of several projects aimed at responding to the need for affordable housing in this municipality. This high-rise apartment building, planned to open in 2023, will be composed of 80 units, 48 of which are reserved for affordable rental and 32 for sale at moderate cost under long lease. The start of works on the project is scheduled for September.
During his discussion with municipal officials, Luxembourg's Minister of Housing explained the main components and instruments of the new housing pact which defines future cooperation between the state and the municipalities to stimulate the supply of affordable housing. He also raised the issue of furnished rooms and the need for an information campaign on tenants' rights.
As Minister Henri Kox highlighted, both housing and internal security are areas that require close collaboration between the municipalities and the competent ministries, in order to be efficient and closer to the needs of citizens. He commented: “A good dialogue between all those in charge is essential to make the right decisions and implement the right policies in the general interest”, before stating his intention to strengthen dialogue with the municipalities through a regular presence on the ground.
