VWhy is the housing issue important for students?
The answer may seem obvious to many, but it is important to explain the underlying factors why the housing issue is so important. Being a student should be fun, interesting and rewarding. The studies should enrich you as an individual when you gain new knowledge and tools to face tomorrow. However, the studies should eventually lead to employment and employment, so the studies are also an issue for society.
Right now we hear terms like “lifelong learning” and “skills provision”. Having the opportunity to further your education no matter where in the country you live is one of SFS’s fundamental views. To pursue studies – regardless of level – you need a place to call home. This place is often not where you come from or where you will live after your studies. Student accommodation needs to be flexible and give you as a student the study peace and security required to pursue these.
SFS's housing policy position is currently being updated due to the position being revised in connection with the SFS general council meeting on 2-4 October 2020. If you would like to know more about the decisions made at Extra-SFSFUM, you will find a summary here.
The number of students is increasing
According to UHR's latest statistics The corona pandemic has worsened the labor market and increased the number of applicants to higher education to a peak of 407300 students in the fall of 2020. The number of educational places has also increased. Doing this is relatively easy, building housing for these students takes significantly longer – even more so when there is already a housing shortage. If the corona pandemic leads to a long period of economic downturn and unemployment, this figure may increase even more. This will in turn mean an increased demand for housing with reasonable rents for people with student loans.
Students are an economically vulnerable group
Students' finances are usually strained. The cost of accommodation is the largest expense and compared to other groups in society, students spend a larger proportion of their income on their accommodation. Students' accommodation costs also vary greatly. For many students, the ability to cover accommodation costs with their student allowance is crucial to being able to devote themselves to full-time studies. According to CSN, around half of students spend more than a third of their income on accommodation, compared to the rest of the population who spend around 20 percent of their disposable income on accommodation (here).
Major housing shortage in the country's municipalities
In recent years, the production of new housing has been at a high level, partly as a result of investment support, but in many parts of the country, the shortage of housing remains significant. While many new homes are being built, rents often make these homes perceived as far too expensive for students. According to data from the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, just over half of the country's 38 higher education municipalities report a lack of housing for students at colleges or universities. The National Board of Housing, Building and Planning estimates that 640,000 homes need to be built during the ten-year period 2018–2027.
Ahead of the start of the autumn semester, SFS is investigating the housing situation in the country's student cities and in general terms the housing situation is difficult. You can read the Housing Report for 2020 hereThe difficulties in finding housing mean that for many students, their study period begins with looking for housing, instead of focusing on their studies, which can contribute to stress that often contributes to mental health.
Current investigations
Housing issues are highly topical, largely due to the January agreement. A number of investigations have been appointed that deal with housing supply, rent setting and building regulations. SFS has provided input to these and responded to referrals in the hope of influencing the investigations to the best interests of students. Some of them are summarized here and in addition to the investigations, SFS participates in discussions and networks and hosts seminars.
Free rent setting for new housing construction (SOU 2020:42)
On 23 April 2020, it was decided to commission an investigation that will submit proposals for a model with free rent setting for newly produced apartments. The model will contribute to a long-term well-functioning rental market and efficient utilization of the current sub-stock. The assignment must be reported no later than 31 May 2021 and is prompted by a substantive political agreement between the Social Democrats, the Centre Party, the Liberals and the Green Green Party.
Today, there is in principle free rent setting in new construction, so-called presumptive rents, which means the possibility of setting a higher rent level than a utility value comparison would allow. This was introduced in 2006 with the aim of improving the conditions for building rental apartments, but has still not solved the housing shortage for those groups who have difficulty entering the housing market.
Based on the research that has been done, SFS sees that market rents would negatively affect students. There is much evidence that free rent setting is a costly and inefficient method of solving the housing shortage for groups that currently have difficulty demanding housing, and that both society and students would benefit from reviewing other solutions to overcome the housing shortage.
Here SFS's input to the investigation is available to read in its entirety and here There is information about the investigation.
More modern building regulations (SOU 2019:68)
On 23 February 2017, the government decided to appoint a committee to carry out a comprehensive review of the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning's building regulations. The purpose of the review was to modernize and simplify the regulations.
SFS's principled position is that students should not have to endure worse housing standards than other groups in the housing market. As long as this principle is adhered to, SFS welcomes all proposals aimed at increasing the number of affordable housing students can demand.
One perspective described in the investigation and that emerged from interested parties regarding suitability requirements for new construction and conversion requirements is that accessibility adaptation drives up construction costs and thus constitutes an obstacle to new housing. SFS agrees that obstacles to new construction should be removed, as long as it does not restrict other groups' ability to find housing. A well-considered balance between standard and costs should be struck. Again, it is important that weak economic groups in society, including students, can afford to demand newly built housing. At the same time, it is important that the state sets a level of requirement for accessibility adaptation that otherwise risks being ignored by the market.
Here There is an SFS consultation response to the investigation.
A socially sustainable housing supply (SOU 2018:35)
In connection with a decision on 7 May 2020, a special investigator was given the task of investigating, among other things, the division of tasks between the state and municipalities that has existed in housing policy since the 1940s. The purpose of the investigation was to create the conditions for a socially sustainable housing supply that eases the situation for households that have difficulty obtaining housing on market terms.
SFS wants to see that the investigation includes the student perspective – something that has not currently been confirmed by the investigator. SFS is positive that the investigation is being tasked with looking at how a socially sustainable housing supply can be designed and sees the importance of how long-term solutions for, among other things, student housing can be designed.
There is a great need to review how the housing stock, both new and older, can meet the demand for lower rents, especially from those with weak payment capacity. SFS believes that the new construction needs to be in demand by people with lower incomes. Therefore, SFS believes that the state investment support given to new production should be linked to requirements for lower rents.
Here SFS's input to the investigation is available to read in its entirety and here There is more information about the investigation.
The inquiry into housing allowances and maintenance support – reduced indebtedness and increased accuracy (SOU 2018:13)
In the SFS Business Plan for 2020/2021, the design of housing allowance is a priority issue. In 2018, an inquiry was appointed to review housing allowance and maintenance support in order to increase the accuracy of distribution and reduce debt. In addition, the inquiry was to submit proposals that could refine the housing policy and distribution policy objectives of the housing allowance. The inquiry will submit its final report on 1 March 2021. In February 2020, the inquiry also received a supplementary directive aimed at clarifying the legislation so that it is clear in which situations there is a right to maintenance support.
SFS is positive that the housing allowance is being investigated and hopes that it will lead to a housing allowance that works better for students. At the end of 2018, SFS took the initiative for a survey to find out what prevents students from using the housing allowance. The conclusions are that the biggest obstacle is the worry of being required to repay. Next comes a lack of knowledge and information about the allowance.
Here SFS's input to the investigation is available to read in its entirety and here There is more information about the investigation.