The construction of single-family homes in Sweden is the lowest in a hundred years, according to the government's "home commissioner" Stefan Attefall, former Christian Democratic housing minister and now governor of Uppsala County.
At the same time, up to one million households reportedly want to move from apartments to single-family homes.
When Attefall on Tuesday presents his fifth interim report on a homeownership movement for the 2020s, he stresses that municipalities must think differently. One conclusion is that they already have the authority to subsidize purchases of single-family homes.
Housing allowance
Financial support can, for example, be provided as loan guarantees or as housing allowances to cover ongoing housing costs.
Then it's a question of budgetary space and political priorities. But I'm pointing out the opportunity that exists, says Stefan Attefall.
He cannot say how much support a family could receive to buy a single-family home.
I don't have any figures; you need to judge that for yourself, and it also depends on the local market, he says.
But if, for example, it concerns people with low incomes who otherwise have difficulty entering the housing market, the municipality can set certain criteria, such as an income threshold. If the person is deemed creditworthy by the bank, the municipality can make a contribution to make the loan more attractive.
Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Andreas Carlson (KD) believes that Attefall's reasoning can be "an eye-opener" for many municipalities.
What about a housing allowance for living in a single-family home?
We have seen in the reports that a million people want to live in an owner-occupied single-family home, and that a million people who currently live in rental housing want to move to their own single-family home. But the threshold is too high. By lowering it with various tools, more people can realize their housing dreams, says Carlson.
“Don't want to buy a house”
Attefall also suggests that the state should share the financial risk with municipalities that choose to support families with a newly built single-family home, an idea Carlson says the government should analyse in more detail.
However, the Tenants' Association is critical of the conclusions and believes that the idea that many people dream of owning a single-family home is not true.
"Many families with children want to live in larger homes, but far from everyone wants to or can buy a house. The state must invest in rented accommodation and build more rental apartments with reasonable rents and in different sizes," says Tenants' Association chair Marie Linder in a comment.
