I called Gabriel Boisante to discuss his candidacy for Mayor of Luxembourg City.
Luxembourg City Councilor Gabriel Boisante called for greater investment in affordable housing in the city.
Gabriel argued that currently, too few options are available for low- and middle-income earners in the city, who are often forced to live far away from their workplaces.
“It’s not possible that if you are not a state employee or a high-wage employee, you cannot live in the city of Luxembourg,” he said. Gabriel called for greater investment in housing projects, arguing that the city should aim to spend €100 million per year on building and renovating properties.
He also urged the city to invest in private-sector partnerships to boost the supply of affordable housing. Gabriel cited the example of Vienna, where the city owns 42% of rented units, as a model that Luxembourg could follow (but probably never achieve).
“The only way is that the city owns more units,” he said.
Gabriel acknowledged that the economic downturn in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic had made the issue of affordable housing more pressing, but argued that it was an issue that needed to be tackled regardless of economic conditions. “You don’t get a chocolate golden medal if you say, ‘Oh, I have €1 billion in my bank,’ ” he said. “So what are we going to do with it?” Gabriel’s call for greater investment in affordable housing comes amid growing concern about the issue in Luxembourg, where increasingly elevated rents and property prices have made it ever-so difficult for low- and middle-income earners to find suitable accommodation.
Listen to the full interview with yours truly, Christos Floros on Spotify or watch it back on Instagram.
Christos Floros 