History
Within the framework of its general reorganization effort, the Better Administrative Policy, the Flemish Government established the VMSW (Flemish Social Housing Company), effective on July 1st 2006. The VMSW is an external autonomous agency possessing legal personality within the policy domain of the Town and Country Planning, Housing Policy and Immovable Heritage.
The VMSW is the legal successor of the former Flemish Housing Company (VHM).
The Flemish Housing Company was, in its turn, the legal successor of both the National Housing Company (NMH) and the housing division of the Nation Land Company (NLM).
The law of 11 October 1919 established the National Affordable Homes and Living Units Company, which later became the National Housing Company (NMH). Stimulated by the NMH, a growing number of companies were established with the aim of creating modest, yet comfortable and affordable rental homes for low-income individuals and families.
The housing conditions in the larger cities and industrial centres in the beginning of the 20th Century were appalling, particularly those for labourers: homes without the most basic comfort and usually under the unhealthiest conditions.
The royal decree of 27 February 1935 established the National Small Homestead Company (NMKL), the future National Land Company (NLM).
From the beginning, the NMKL devoted itself to the improvement of social housing in rural areas, with particular attention to the owner-occupied dwelling. Initiatives were taken nearly everywhere to establish regional cooperative companies. On the one hand, private initiative was encouraged by granting affordable long-term loans to private builders (on the condition that the minimum surface of the land parcel was 1000m² in order to allow the family to practise small-scale farming to economize on the cost of living) and on the other hand initiatives were also made for collective housing for small estates.
The Act of 28 December 1984 resulted in the total abrogation of the NMH and the NLM.
The Walloon Housing Company (SWL) was created in Wallonia, and in Brussels the Brussels Regional Housing Company (BGHM) was set up.
In Flanders, the Decree of 21 December 1988 established the Flemish Housing Company (VHM). The Official Journal of Law of 14 August 1990 published the Decree of 27 July 1990, whereby the VHM received its normative powers, retroactive from 1 January 1990. Through its social housing companies the VHM is responsible for social housing in Flanders, in terms of rentals, sales and loans.
The social housing companies (SHMs) are the result of local initiatives (of one or more municipalities) and take the form of commercial companies.
The company shares are mainly subscribed by the initiative-taking municipalities, the local OCMWs (Public Social Welfare Centres), the Flemish Region, the province and eventually by individuals and/or private companies.
At this time there are approximately 102 SHMs active in Flanders.