Housing Deal
of social housing, SoHoNet relies on the Housing Deal model—an innovative delivery pathway designed to enable the large-scale development of affordable rental housing in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Based on the conclusion of a long-term lease (emphyteusis), the Housing Deal allows a non-public investor (e.g. private, cooperative, or non-profit) to construct housing on public land, while ensuring its social purpose through management by a social rental agency (AIS in French) for the entire duration of the lease. Ownership of the land remains with the public sector, while the investing partner, thanks to its capacity for implementation and financing, develops the housing and renovates it when necessary.
The proper functioning of the model also relies on local non-profit organizations, which safeguard the social and community-oriented dimension of the projects. Their role is essential in making housing a lever for inclusion and empowerment.
The economic feasbility fot he model was the subject of an academic study conducted by Magali Verdonck and updated in 2023. (see Media and News section). The study shows that the Housing Deal:
- reduces the impact on regional debt;
- supports an anti-speculative land policy;
- guarantees socially responsible long-term management.
Since 2024, SoHoNet has been supported by Bruxelles Logement to act as a facilitator of this new housing production pathway with a social purpose.
In partnership with public authorities, investors, and non-profit actors, SoHoNet is actively seeking land and buildings to test the Housing Deal through the luanch of pilot projects. This, with the aim to refine the conditions and modalities required for scaling up the model.
Interested in learning more about the model and the options currently under consideration? Contact Veronica Pezzuti
Social Reno Deal
The Brussels residential building sector accounts for 35% of the Region’s total carbon footprint. 80% of the housing stock has poor energy performance (i.e. EPC classes D, E, F, or G) and will require major renovations by 2050, while the Region’s annual renovation rate remains particularly low.
Brussels is therefore at a turning point in its renovation policy, which must meet a dual challenge: achieving significant renovation volumes on the one hand, while ensuring the affordability of both rental and ownership markets on the other. This ambition is confronted with worrying economic and budgetary constraints at regional level.
In this context, since 2024 SoHoNet has been developing the Social Reno Deal approach, which aims to turn the renovation of residential buildings into a lever for increasing the supply of affordable housing in the Brussels-Capital Region.
This approach:
- advocates for the optimization of public spending in order to leverage private investment;
- encourages landlords to renovate their properties to ensure habitability and improve comfort and energy performance;
- recommends the granting of advantageous renovation subsidies to owners who offer affordable rents through management by a social rental agency (AIS) or via contractual affordability mechanisms;
- explores additional levers, including greater flexibility in planning regulations and permits, financing through third-party investor models, and adaptations to the EPC methodology.
Further information on the approach is available in the Social Reno Deal framework note published in 2024. (see Media and News section). Since 2025, SoHoNet has been supported by the King Baudouin Foundation to further develop this approach in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
Interested in learning more or joining the working group? Contact Martin Willemart
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