Wooncoop votes “Yes and Yes”, but has a “but”
“Yes and Yes!” Of course we believe that the city of Ghent should do everything it can to solve Ghent’s housing crisis. Naturally, we believe that the city should make the best possible use of its own real estate and that the city should commit to radically higher ambitions in the field of affordable housing.
“But,” we find the two questions quite guiding for possible solutions to the housing crisis. We do not believe there is a perfect solution. The city (and society as a whole) can be more creative. In this way, different solutions can be explored that do not (completely) correspond to the two questions, for example housing cooperatives.
We believe that in its quest the city can draw more from all available energy from citizens, other companies and other governments.
Get out of your room on October 8
We therefore call on all Ghent residents to participate in the referendum and vote yes twice as a signal to the city council to do everything they can to tackle the housing crisis with an open and creative spirit.
“And, oh yes,” we of course hope that all other municipalities and higher authorities also receive the signal of this referendum loud and clear!
Until October 8!
Lukas Vanelderen is co-founder and director of Wooncoop. This opinion piece previously appeared on the Wooncoop website.