Housing
Good housing for all
In accordance with the Constitution of Finland, it is the duty of public authorities to promote everyone’s right to housing, and to support attempts by individuals to find housing on their own initiative.
The current government programme states that the aims of housing policy are to ensure a socially and regionally balanced and stable housing market, to eliminate homelessness and to increase the supply of moderately priced land for construction. National housing policy
In Finland, housing administration is the responsibility of the Ministry of the Environment. The Ministry also works to improve the quality of housing construction through controls and guidelines, and to improve the quality of the residential environment. In the present government, Mr. Jan Vapaavuori, the Minister of Housing, has overall responsibility for housing policy.
The off-budget Housing Fund of Finland finances and administers all State housing subsidies, except housing allowances.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has overall responsibility for housing allowance legislation, and oversees the general housing allowance system.
The Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland essential functions include guidance on quality and control of building costs in State-subsidised housing construction and renovation projects.
The State Treasury oversees State-subsidised loans for rented and right-of-occupancy housing, with responsibility for the paying of loans and the collection of repayments. The State Treasury also pays interest subsidies on housing loans directly to the lending institutions. Municipalities have a key role
Local authorities decide which housing projects may be entitled to State subsidies, and some municipalities also provide limited housing subsidies of their own.
Local authorities are the largest owners of rental housing. They also provide land, infrastructure and other services for housing schemes.
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