VWhy is the housing issue important for students?
The answer may seem obvious to many, but it is important to explain the underlying factors as to why the housing issue is engaging. Being a student should be fun, interesting and rewarding. The studies will enrich you as an individual when you gain new knowledge and tools to take on tomorrow. Nevertheless, the studies will eventually lead to employment and employment, in this way the studies are also a matter for society.
Right now we hear terms like "lifelong learning" and "skills supply". Having the opportunity to further your education regardless of where in the country you live is one of SFS 'basic opinions. To conduct 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. The student housing needs to be flexible and give you as a student the peace of mind and security required to conduct these.
SFS 'housing policy position is currently being updated due to the position being revised in connection with SFS' council meeting 2-4 October 2020. If you want 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 the university to the peak of 407300 students in the autumn of 2020. The number of study places has also increased. Doing this is relatively simple, building housing for these students takes much longer - even more so when there is already a housing shortage. If the corona pandemic causes a long period of economic decline and unemployment, this figure may increase more and more. This in turn will mean an increased demand for housing with reasonable rents for people with study grants.
Students are a financially vulnerable group
Students' finances are generally strained. The cost of housing is the largest expense and compared to other groups in society, students spend a larger share of their income on their housing. Students' housing costs also vary greatly. For many students, the opportunity to manage housing costs with the study grant is crucial in order to be able to pursue full-time studies. According to CSN, about half of students spend more than a third of their income on housing, compared to the rest of the population who spend about 20 percent of their disposable income on housing (here).
Large 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 large. At the same time as many new homes are being built, the rents often mean that these homes are perceived as too expensive for the students. According to information from the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, just over half of the country's 38 university municipalities state that there is a lack of housing for students at colleges or universities. The National Board of Housing, Building and Planning estimates that 640 homes need to be built during the ten-year period 000–2018.
Before the start of the autumn term, SFS examines 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 here. The difficulties of getting a home mean for many that the study period begins with looking for housing, instead of focusing on the studies, which can contribute to stress which often contributes to mental illness.
Current investigations
Housing issues are highly topical, much 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 for the benefit of the students. Some of them are summarized here and in addition to the investigations, SFS participates in discussions and networks and hosts seminars.
Free renting for new construction of homes (SOU 2020: 42)
On 23 April 2020, a decision was made on an investigation that will submit a proposal for a model with free rent for newly produced apartments. The model will contribute to a long-term well-functioning rental market and efficient utilization of the current sub-portfolio. The assignment must be reported no later than 31 May 2021 and is prompted by a factual political agreement between the Social Democrats, the Center Party, the Liberals and the Green Party.
Today, in principle, there is free rent setting in new production, so-called presumption rents, which means opportunities to set a higher rent level than a use 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 the groups that have difficulty entering the housing market.
Based on the research that has been done, SFS sees that market rents would have a negative effect on students. There are many indications that free renting is a costly and inefficient method of solving the housing shortage for groups who today have difficulty demanding housing and that both society and students would benefit from reviewing other solutions to overcome the housing shortage.
Here is SFS input to the investigation to read in its entirety and here there is information about the investigation.
Modern building regulations (SOU 2019: 68)
On 23 February 2017, the Government decided to appoint a committee to carry out a thorough review of the 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 endure lower housing standards than other groups in the housing market. As long as this principle is complied with, SFS welcomes all proposals aimed at increasing the number of homes that students can afford to request.
A perspective that is described in the investigation and that has emerged from interested parties regarding suitability requirements for new construction and conversion requirements is that accessibility adaptation drives up the costs of construction 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-balanced balance between standard and cost should be made. 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 requirements for accessibility adaptation that otherwise risks being ignored by the market.
Here there is 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 commissioned to investigate, among other things, the division of tasks between the state and the municipality that has existed in housing policy since the 1940s. The purpose of the inquiry was to create conditions for a socially sustainable housing supply that facilitates the situation for households that have difficulty obtaining housing on market conditions.
SFS wants to see that the investigation includes the student perspective - something that is currently not confirmed by the investigator. SFS is positive that the inquiry is commissioned to look at how a socially sustainable housing supply can be designed and sees the importance of how long-term solutions for, among other things, students' housing supply can be designed.
There is a great need to review how the housing stock, both new and older, will be able to meet the demand for lower rents, especially from those who have weak ability to pay. SFS believes that what is being built needs to be able to be demanded by people with lower incomes. Therefore, SFS believes that the state investment support given to new production is linked to requirements for lower rents.
Here is SFS input to the investigation to read in its entirety and here there is more information about the investigation.
Inquiry into housing allowance and maintenance support - reduced indebtedness and increased accuracy (SOU 2018: 13)
In SFS's Business Plan for 2020/2021, the design of the housing allowance is a priority issue. In 2018, an inquiry was appointed with the task of reviewing housing allowance and maintenance support in order to increase the distributional accuracy and reduce indebtedness. In addition, the inquiry would submit proposals that can refine the housing policy and the distribution policy objectives with the housing allowance. The Inquiry will submit its final report on 1 March 2021. In February 2020, the Inquiry also received an additional 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 fear of being liable for repayment. This is followed by a lack of knowledge and information about the grant.
Introducing special rules for students would remedy the problems that SFS's survey shows. By combining payments of housing allowance with payments of study grants, the housing allowance could be based on the income information CSN already collects. SFS also thinks that age should not play a role for students who are in need of housing allowance. Anyone who is a student and meets the requirements for study grants should be able to use the housing allowance as long as the other criteria are met.
Here is SFS input to the investigation to read in its entirety and here there is more information about the investigation.