The new Tondelier district near Rabot makes way for affordable housing: "We are renting out 74 apartments at a reduced rate."
The first three budget rental apartments on the Tondelier site in Ghent have been opened for residents. This form of housing is intended to assist Gentenaars who do not qualify for social housing.
By 2029, the entire Tondelier site is expected to be completed, but step by step, the new neighborhood is taking shape. The new urban area will include a total of 530 homes, built around a city park. One-fifth of all homes are reserved for social housing, and an additional one-fifth is designated for budget rentals. The first three apartments rented under the budget rental system are now ready.
"Budget rental homes are not intended for the very lowest incomes," explains Tine Heyse, alderman for Housing from the Green Party. "We are targeting low to middle incomes. These are people who often earn just a bit too much to qualify for social housing."
Kamil Karaca is one of the residents who moved in this week. "I work as a parking attendant, and my wife works as a caregiver. We don't have a lavish income, and on the private market, you'd pay up to a thousand euros for a two-bedroom apartment like this. Now we're paying 750 euros. Additionally, the property is connected to a district heating system, and there are solar panels on the roof. So, the energy costs are also very reasonable."
Huuringent, the city's rental office, will rent out the apartments for the next 19 years. Afterward, the private developer can decide whether to sell the apartments. "Out of the 530 homes in Tondelier, a total of 74 will be rented out through Huuringent," notes Sami Souguir, alderman for Housing from the Open VLD Party. "We are also focusing on this form of housing in other parts of the city."
